The world of matchmaking is one that, for many of us is distant. Nonetheless, there's something undeniably intriguing about it, especially for those unfamiliar with it. That's why, when they decided to take a satirical, humorous approach that brings this topic to a broad audience, the result was "Matchmaking". The first movie effectively kicked off this concept and did it wonderfully with humor and ease. It was a fun movie that flew by and felt "complete" - a story that began and ended. But now, two years later, the sequel has arrived. Is there more to tell, or is it just stretching things out? Well, yes, there is more to tell.
While Orr watched the first film before seeing the second, for Dvir, it was his first encounter with the characters and the movie's world, providing a fresh viewer's perspective. Can you enjoy the sequel without having seen the first movie? Absolutely. It feels like, despite being based on characters and storylines from the first film, this movie is pretty self-contained, and there's no real need to know the previous story in detail to fully enjoy it. Of course, it's always good to catch up or read a short summary, but if someone's looking for an entertaining watch and is considering this film, they shouldn't hesitate to dive in even without having seen the original.
As people connected in a certain degree to Jewish culture and tradition, we enjoyed the humor and writing, and we found the script to feel both natural and comically satirical without mocking these worlds - quite the opposite. Judging by the reactions of people who watched the movie with us or were in the theater, we feel that even those less familiar with or connected to this world can relate to the story and setting. The humor and narrative aren't niche in a way that only a specific segment of the population would enjoy.
On the acting front, there are a few familiar faces from the first film and some new ones. Maor Schweitzer, who stole the show in the first movie, even though he wasn't the main character, is now at the center and, just like in the first film, is hilarious and plays his role wonderfully. In the sequel, Niv Sultan also joins the cast and plays her part excellently. There's a funny layer to the fact that this is a movie about matchmaking, and she's married to Schweitzer in real life. Overall, the cast is genuinely strong. We must mention Hitam Omari, who plays the yeshiva's kitchen manager - every scene with him is extremely funny.
In recent years, perhaps because of the ease of drawing audiences through the "influencer and followers" method, there's been a trend of models and internet celebrities/influencers becoming actors overnight. In this film, however, it feels like Omer Nudelman brings a lot more than just that. She delivers a very good and captivating performance unrelated to her background as a model. It's wonderful to see a real case of hidden talent being brought to light, and her performance was one of the movie's standout strengths.
Romantic comedies aren't a genre that's particularly common in Israel, and it's nice to see that they did it right here. Personally, it's not our "cup of tea," but we thoroughly enjoyed the movie, and we believe it's a very successful and fun Israeli production.
"Matchmaking 2" is a fantastic continuation of its predecessor, offering a very entertaining and funny viewing experience. It's a charming comedy that manages to touch the heart, with a great story and very natural humor. The actors perform their roles very well, and from every angle, the film is made with skill. Most importantly, it's a delightful way to spend an hour and a half in the cinema, and we'd highly recommend it to those who enjoy the genre - even if they haven't seen the first movie.
By Dvir971 & Orr971.
