#56: BETWEEN THE TEMPLES

Starring: Jason Schwartzman, Carol Kane, Caroline Aaron, Robert Smigel, Madeline Weinstein, Matthew Shear and Dolly de Leon. Written by C. Mason Wells and Nathan Silver. Directed by Nathan Silver. Running time 111 minutes.

Just like The Holdover, this is another film channeling a feel of the 1970s, of the sorts of films made by Hal Ashby, Robert Altman and Arthur Hiller.

Jason Schwartzman is Ben Gottlieb, a cantor, suffering a severe crisis of faith following the accidental death of his wife that's left him unable to sing. He's moved back in with his two mums, Meira and Judith and seems to spends his days (or nights) getting into drunken fights in bars and making half-hearted attempts to kill himself. Then into his life walks Carla (Carol Kane), a retired music teacher who's decided to complete her bar mitzvah and so begins a relationship that rekindles his faith and sort of grows into something that might be romantic. On the other hand, it might also be the moment Ben's mental breakdown happens. 

The chemistry between Schwartzman's Ben and Kane's Carla is what makes this film zing, it feels so organic and natural and as their friendship becomes something more (or does it), the strains it puts on their own respective families gives the film its humour and heart. The film explores grief, romance and faith from a Jewish perspective and yet feels inclusive. Schwartzman is always good, but it's hard to reconcile this 40 year-old man with the young man of Rushmore. Plus he looks so much like Steve Carell that it becomes jarring. That said, Carol Kane is a delight, funny, relaxed and scintillating, and they're both natural comedians. He feels like his generations Alan Arkin and her Madeline Khan.

The story might be slight and but the journey it takes us on is at turns cringey, funny, touching but always entertaining. 

Overall, a satisfying and entertaining comedy about grief, love and life. 8/10