There’s a reason “Harold and Maude” is both a cult classic and darn near impossible to remake.
The May-December template is tricky in modern times. Swap the genders and you’re supporting The PatriarchyTM.
“Between the Temples” proves it can be done after all. You just need a perfect cast, droll dialogue and insights into the human condition that almost always ring true.
Jason Schwartzman stars as “Cantor Ben,” a 40-something widower mourning the death of his wife. He’s a mess, and he can’t find escape in either work or his parents’ attempts to find him a new love.
He’s also lost his voice, an occupational hazard giving his synagogue chores.
Ben has a meet-cute moment with Carla (Carol Kane), a music teacher from his childhood. Carla’s heart is three sizes too big, and Ben finds comfort in her antiquated layers.
Plus, she suddenly wants to have a Bat Mitzvah. Better late than never.
Is there something more happening here? Or is “Between the Temples” a wry exploration of grief and love?
We won’t spoil the first question, but the second earns a definitive, “yes.”
Director/co-writer Nathan Silver (“Thirst Street”) throws several “wacky” conceits our way but grounds them with keenly observed characters.
Yes, Ben’s the son of a hip lesbian couple, but his moms react to his emotional chaos with genuine feeling. Sure, his dating foibles could be air-lifted from a Judd Apatow comedy, but Schwartzman’s dry line readings make the humor pop.
The film offers not one but two great sequences. One involves Carla’s unctuous adult son, and the contrast between him and Ben couldn’t be more stark. The other is a dinner exchange where Silver’s jittery camera work and droll dialogue work in concert.
Kane has never been better, which is saying something. Schwartzman’s role is more intricate at times. He’s withdrawn and somber, but the actor lets just enough light into his eyes to make us root for an emotional comeback.
Jason Schwartzman’s role as Ben Gottlieb in Between the Temples was written for him. #FallonTonight pic.twitter.com/mShb4HOYQU
— The Tonight Show (@FallonTonight) August 22, 2024
“Between the Temples” supports the duo with fine comic complements. Robert Smigel (AKA Triumph the Insult Comic Dog) is Cantor Ben’s exasperated Rabbi. Madeline Weinstein plays Ben’s potential love interest, a role that could be marked as “throwaway” but the actress won’t take the bait.
Silver and co. mine rich humor from Jewish culture without being disrespectful or glib. Schwartzman and Kane do the rest, creating a believable bond forged by pain and loneliness.
What a cute couple by any standard (or decade).
HiT or Miss: “Between the Temples” is funny and self-aware, a finely tuned dramedy that never stops delivering insights.
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