When Do We Eat?

I saw this movie over the weekend at the Boston Film Festival and just loved it. It's a Seder supper that is going terribly wrong with the world's most dysfunctional family. But then it takes an unexpected turn and... well that's what makes this film so great. It's not just a run of the mill comedy. It's not predictable. It manages to surprise and delight you. Plus, it has some excellent visual effects. I laughed, I cried and in the end, found it truly heartwarming. Michael Lerner's performance brought me to tears. Lesley Ann Warren is fabulous. Jack Klugman as the crabby grandfather is excellent. Adored Shiri Appleby's performance also. I can't find anything bad to say about this film. I can't wait to see it again!!!

The central themes are universal (dysfunctional family, holidays gone wrong), but the story unfolds in the unique setting of a passover dinner--which I believe is a movie first. The filmmakers wisely put a non-Jew at the table to make us non-Jews feel at home. The characters are well-developed and convincing--a real feat in a story about a family that includes a sex surrogate, an autistic teen, a Hasidic Jew, a lesbian half-sister, and a stoner. Fantastic cast. Michael Lerner is wonderful as the father. He plays a wide emotional range very convincingly. Why hasn't this guy been in more great roles? This film really gives him a chance to shine. Ben Feldman, Cynda Williams and Meredith Scott Lynn also give great performances. Stunning visual effects and a great soundtrack.

Along with Adam Goldberg's Shaft-parody, "The Hebrew Hammer," the marvelous indie "When Do We Eat" is one of the two finest contemporary comedies with Jewish themes -- a far cry from the traditional Jewish cinema pantheon of "Fiddler," "Crossing Delancy," "Yentl" and "The Chosen." Uproariously funny, sexy and occasionally profane, yes -- but it's also deeply affectionate as "When Do We Eat" pokes fun at the righteousness of the orthodox, Passover traditions, and maddening family members from stoners to sex workers and Moshe Dayan look-a-likes. The script is sharp, the acting terrific ("Quincy" alum Jack Klugman is a riot as the Holocaust-surviving grandfather), and the hallucinogenic production values - inspired by legendary Hagadah books - is brilliant. An antidote to anyone who laments the laundering of authentic Jewish content from ostensibly Jewish TV sit-coms and films. Bravo!

When Do We Eat? is a wonderful movie. It's very comical and smartly done. I'm not Jewish, but I definitely related to the craziness and abnormalities of a dysfunctional family coming together for a specific purpose or event. The acting was quite decent, of one particular actress, Shiri Appleby, who was absolutely incredible in the film. It was a very different role for her and I was pleased to see how well she did with the transition. I'm a huge fan of hers and having the opportunity to see her in a movie that she had no difficulty identifying with was great. I definitely recommend this movie and I'd love to see it again.

With so many praising reviews, this must be fantastic movie. Right? Wrong. I have no clue why almost every reviewer rewards this movie with a 9/10 or 10/10. If this is one of the best movies you guys ever saw, then please go watch some real movies.

I expect to actually laugh or at least have some smiles when watching a comedy. About 40 minutes into the movie I realized I hadn't even smiled once. Where are the jokes? I have a very broad taste in humor and like both sophisticated and lame jokes, but I had a really hard time trying to find any jokes in 'Where do we eat'. Of course, after those 40 minutes I couldn't stand it any longer and switched it off, so maybe the last 50 minutes really explode from all the fun.

It didn't seem that the movie is really bad, it's just not funny. Pitch this as a family drama and it might be sort of acceptable. As a comedy, I can't rate it over 4/10.