Movies
“Between The Temples” Is A One-Of-A-Kind Awkward Love Story
Oh, it’s awkward. It’s just so bizarre.
“A cantor in a crisis of faith finds his world turned upside down when his grade school music teacher re-enters his life as his new adult Bat Mitzvah student.”
Director: Nathan Silver
Writers: C. Mason Wells, Nathan Silver
Cast: Jason Schwartzman, Carol Kane, Dolly De Leon, Caroline Aaron, Robert Smigel, Madeline Weinstein
Release Date: August 23, 2024
IMDB
Oh, it’s awkward. It’s just so bizarre.
Also, it’s very Jewish. Between The Temples (2024) is the most Jewish movie I have seen since Shiva Baby (2021). The movie has an entirely particular language and effect, and many visual and editing choices make the independent project wholly its own entity. They can point to Between The Temples when they say they don’t make original movies anymore.
Ben Gottlieb (Jason Schwartzman) is a Jewish cantor suffering a crisis of faith and singing skill because of the unexpected passing of his wife. The awkward man’s life is flipped like a pancake when he is reintroduced to his childhood movie teacher Carla Kessler (Carol Kane). The two form a very unique relationship due in large part to Carla’s quest to complete a Bat Matzvah as an adult. She enlists Ben as her mentor, beginning a personal story for both that propels the Between The Temples awkward comedic tale.
While much praise can be placed on the shoulders of Carol Kane, Madeline Weinstein is the standout performer in Between The Temples. The New York-born actress plays Ruth, the daughter of Rabbi Bruce (Robert Smigel) and the young love interest inserted for Ben. Within the movie context, Ruth and Ben are thrust together in the hopes of romance, mainly by the perfectly overbearing Judith (Dolly De Leon). The two have an unsteady start before developing a high school-esq relationship that is highlighted by the most unexpected scene of the film.
Ben and Ruth decide to meet…at the gravesite of Ben’s wife. Ruth reveals to Ben that she has finished reading the novel of Ben’s former partner, from which she learned the fascinating fact that Mrs. Gottlieb used to leave sexual voice messages for her husband on the regular. Ruth asks to hear these messages, all of which Ben has saved. This sets up an outlandishly sensual scene where Ruth repeats the message word-for-word before the characters engage with one another.
Weinstein plays the entire scene with a certain seductive quality that’s (in itself) awkward to admit. Ben’s stillness and Ruth’s sudden command of the situation are steamy, putting the audience in an unenviable position. Weistein’s change of demeanor puts the viewer on its heels, asking the question as to whether or not this gravesite romantic scene is meant to muster the emotions it’s evoking.
If you like awkward humor, Between The Temples is a goldmine. I’m not a massive fan of squirming, but I can still appreciate how the film was crafted. Director and writer Nathan Silver ensures that his script comes off a certain way and tunes the movie visually to appear older. There is a grainy finish and a specific hue that shadows Between The Temples, ensuring the audience remembers the picture for its particular vibe and style.
Between The Temples is not streaming anywhere and it must be rented to be watched.
And let’s not end this without appreciating the film’s name as a play on words.
STANKO RATING: C+
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