Sweet, funny, yet sad, this film about grief and love reminiscent of a Harold and Maude story with a Jewish twist. Jason Schwartzman and Carol Kane team up as recently widowed Cantor Ben Gottlieb, and an older woman named Carla Kessler O’Connor. They develop a unique relationship when Carla wants to have a Bat Mitzvah. Usually, that’s a process of studying the Torah and learning to chant in Hebrew coming of age as an adult when you are a young teen.
It takes a while to know the relationships of the rest of the cast to Ben.
He’s a Cantor who can’t sing the prayers, awkward and in a constant funk, still grieving the death of his wife. Rabbi Bruce (Robert Smigel) gives him a lot of slack because his mothers, are big donors. Ben has moved back to his mother Meira’s house where her wife Judith (Dolly De Leon) is the other of his Moms. Judith has converted and has become a stickler following Jewish law, including keeping strictly Kosher.
When Ben is involved in an altercation leading to a bloody nose in a bar fight, he reconnects with his elementary school music school teacher who witnessed the blow. She remembers him as “Little Benny” with the great voice. She’s also a widow whose overbearing, self-centered son shows no respect for her. But Carla tries to find joy where she can and Kane projects a smile and giggle that can light up a room. Getting to know each other again, Carla decides she wants to join Ben’s class of young kids preparing for their Bar Mitzvahs.
The sequences of trying to learn Hebrew and chanting portions from the Torah strengthen their friendship and help Ben get some mojo back. Meanwhile, Ben’s mothers and the Rabbi are constantly trying to fix him up with dates, most notably Rabbi Bruce’s daughter Gabby (Madeline Weinstein) who has some kinky designs on him.
Director Nathan Silver writing with C. Mason Wells create halting, and somewhat uncomfortable but comic conversations with all of the characters around Ben. Constantly concerned about their son, they act like helicopter Moms of this 40-year-old. Gabby has her own motives and then there’s Carla. Kane is enormously talented. She’s goofy and cute who cares about Ben, more than anyone and responds with more emotion than even he thought he had.
Arguments in Jewish families often occur over food. The cheeseburger scene is funny and gross putting what it means to be kosher on display. Cheese and meat just don’t mix. The big Friday night Shabbat meal reveals true feelings around the table in another uncomfortable but climactic scene.
Silver uses some old school film techniques, vignettes, a reduction or fade in black from the edges of the frame to the center for effect. He and cinematographer Sean Price Williams also use a 16mm technique to give this film a bit of a vintage feel. Jewish traditions abound with a few stereotypes thrown in. Some may not like the depressing and awkward themes. But it’s at its best when Schwartzman and Kane’s chemistry makes this little artsy film tender and amusing .
Sony Pictures Classics 1 Hour 51 Minutes R
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