Between the Temples (2024)

Between the Temples

• With every Jason Schwartzman film I watch, the more and more I love him. For some reason he just brings me so much happiness. This film in particular brings him a role that doesn’t feel too similar to other ones that he’s done, at least that I’ve seen. Nothing groundbreaking, but it was nice seeing him in something a little more unique. The whole Jewish aspect that was written for the film made it entertaining, and almost educational. I loved seeing and learning about traditions and cultural decisions, and how it impacted the characters. The story itself was nice and easy, nothing too over the top. I don’t think the writing was always super strong, with several scenes that felt a bit bland. I think there also could’ve been a few minutes shaved off of the runtime, but it didn’t feel too long. The characters didn’t stick out much either, aside from Ben and Carla. Their chemistry was great, and the performances were comedic but serious when they needed to be. The whole film has a great blend of comedy and drama. There were times to laugh and have fun, but also some moments that were somber and dramatic. The dinner scene at the end was also one of the hardest scenes to sit through, but not in the way you think. I can’t say why for spoilers, but it was because of the dramatic tone that was also easy to giggle at. Overall, this film has a solid screenplay, though there’s nothing that jumps out as spectacular. I don’t think it’s one I’ll need to revisit, but I’d probably recommend it to most dramedy fans, especially if you like seeing a glimpse of different religions and cultures.