Between the Temples

"Cantor Ben" (Jason Schwartzman) has recently become a widower and is struggling to get on with his job working for Rabbi "Bruce" (Robert Smigel) at the Sinai Synagogue. He has one too many chocolate-laced "Mudslingers" in a bar one evening and that leads to an altercation that leads to a reunion with "Carla" (Carol Kane). Though neither recall immediately, it transpires that she used to be his childhood music teacher. Next thing we know, she has turned up at his synagogue where she declares her Jewish heritage and that she wishes to have her Bat Mitzvah. I didn't know that took over year to study and prepare for, and neither did she - but after a bit of convincing, he is cajoled into preparing her and the story picks up the pace as, predictably but not in a predictable fashion, the two start to bond. "Ben" lives with his two mothers - "Judith" (Dolly De Leon) and "Meira" (Caroline Aaron) who are keen on him settling down again with a nice girl, and to that end they try to set him up with the Rabbi's daughter "Gabby" (Madeline Weinstein) but somehow we just know that this solution that would please friends and family alike isn't likely to be the one he goes for. It's not especially innovative, this film - we've seen this sort of drama often before. What this does, though, is entertainingly take a look at the contractions of tradition and at belligerence. It invites us to consider what makes people happy, why age matters, and two dinner scenario towards the end provide for quite an effective conduit for true colours to come out and judgements to be delivered. It's comedic rather than a comedy - there aren't any laugh-out-loud moments; with the writing quite potent at times and an enjoyable rapport developing between the two characters uncertain of their next move. Kane steals this with her delicate delivery of a strong yet venerable persona, and although it does strive to contrive once or twice, it's still quite an enjoyable look at hypocrisy and faith and kosher burgers.

The first thing, and really only thing, one should know about this film before they see it is it's a straight up homage to 70s film making. This means there are certain camera choices and character behaviors that won't bother you in the least if you are into that era of movie making. However, if you are not familiar the genre or out right hate it, this is not the film for you.

The last film I saw do this retro style was the 2023 Paul Giamatti movie, The Holdovers. If you enjoyed that movie, you likely will enjoy this. Or least you shouldn't hate it.

Between the Temples tells the story of a Cantor who clearly needs a psychologist but who everyone else seems to think just needs to get laid. One day, he meets his former music teacher who wants to get back to her Jewish roots and get a bat mitzvah. What's a bat mitzvah? Think of it as a coming of age party. But honestly, you do not need to know a thing about Judaism to get what's happening here. Since the films only true religion is cringe. There are scenes right from the top to almost the end that are absolute flinch inducing. All realistic but embarrassing as hell.

This is a small heart felt little movie that should be enjoyed by those in the right mindset.

Nathan Silver's "Between the Temples" is widely acclaimed by critics. Your experience may vary. Mine did.

Following the accidental death of his wife, Ben (Jason Schwartzman - "Asteroid City" and other Wes Anderson projects) is bereft. Although he works as the cantor for a local synagogue, he is unable to sing. After his latest failed attempt during services, Ben rushes out of the synagogue. He lies down in the middle of the road to end it all but instead gets a lift from the truck driver to a nearby bar. He gets drunk. In a related matter, he gets punched in the face. In the process, he becomes reacquainted with his childhood music teacher, Carla (a fantastic Carol Kane). Eventually, Ben begins to tutor the 70ish Carla for the bat mitzvah denied her by her Russian Communist parents.

Silver uses this story, which begins with tremendous potential, to explore the themes of many of his previous films, particularly the paralyzing consequences of anxiety and fear and why people fall in love or even put up with each other. At the same time, he offers a gentle critique of Jewish culture that features an explosive Shabbat dinner, mothers (Ben has two) fixated on immediately finding him a nice Jewish girl and a rabbi who's willing to negotiate and haggle about everything. Robert Smigel as the rabbi and Madeline Weinstein as Gabby, the rabbi's daughter and very available Jewish girl, offer strong performances.

The oddball relationship between Ben and Carla is mesmerizing. It's sweet, kind, confusing, funny, quirky and completely charming. Schwartzman and Kane's performances are well worth the price of admission.

What sunk this film - and it's a sinking of Titanic proportions in my view - is the muddled tone. On the one hand, there's a pervasive sweetness and a kindness in the face of everyone's frailties that's quite endearing. This sweetness encourages, even compels, the moviegoer to really invest in what's happening with these characters. So it's jarring to have slapstick scenes injected into the story along with diversions into broad, bawdy, absurdist comedy that shove us away from the feelings being so carefully nurtured. At times, I felt manipulated by these jolting shifts in tone and perspective. For me, this tonal inconsistency was a deal-breaker. Even the title of this film can't seem to make up its mind. Is the film to be an assessment of Jewish culture? Is it to be a treatise on behavioral neuropsychology? Or is it just trying to be too clever for its own good?

"Between the Temples" is a step forward from Silver's very low-budget previous films, many of which starred his mother. It's thoughtful, sometimes insightful and occasionally hilarious. Unfortunately, it's a film that never decides whether it wants to be sweet and earnest or "Harold and Maude." I left the theater feeling confused by an unfocused story (and an incomprehensible conclusion) that felt more lazy than layered.

Ben Gottlieb (Jason Schwartzman) is a socially awkward cantor. He runs out of his synagogue and tries to kill himself. Of course, he awkwardly fails and goes to a bar. He doesn't know what to order and starts drinking mudslides. He gets ridiculed by a bully and knocked out. His childhood teacher Carla Kessler (Carol Kane) comes to his aid. Later, she wants his help with her bat mitzvah. Her father was Jewish but she never was.

This is a lot of quirky without much actual laughs. Schwartzman is uncomfortable and weird. The second-hand embarrassment is extremely high in this one. I do love her family restaurant outing. His one crazy move during his family dinner is truly crazy. It is outlandishly crazy as a man without any social skills. The meat and cheese scene could have been funny, but the closeup of Schwartzman eating is too gross. This movie pushes awkward comedy too far and the leads manage to save this with their charms.

Not being Jewish myself, it's always hard for me to understand movies about devoutly Jewish people. Like the way parents treat their kids in films about Jewish families seems almost abusive, and I never understand why the kids put up with such controlling behavior. And I'll never understand parents setting their kids up with presumptive spouses, as that wasn't part of my upbringing at all.

So some of the conflicts in "Between the Temples" felt more frustrating than compelling to me, because they seemed so easily resolvable. But otherwise, this is an amiable enough movie that has a sweet performance by Carol Kane. Her complicated relationship with Jason Schwartzmann, a kind of "Harold and Maude" situation that doesn't go quite as far, gives the film its central plot, and the movie is at its best when those two are on screen together.

I didn't care for the film's visual style at all. It's like a John Cassavetes movie, with a roving, jittery camera that zooms in for extreme closeups. The film looks like a documentary, which doesn't fit its tone at all.

Grade: B.