The Big Picture

A cantor in crisis finds hope in an unexpected connection with his grade school music teacher who wants a bat mitzvah. The film’s unusual sense of humor creates discomfort through awkward and cringey moments, though it doesn’t always succeed. The relationship between Ben and Carla is the heart of the film, allowing them to find what they need in each other.

From the very first time we see Ben Gottlieb (Jason Schwartzman), we can tell he’s a mess. Ben is a temple cantor, but he can no longer sing. As the opening credits roll, we see Ben run from temple, go to a bar where he drinks a bit too much of his mudslide, gets in a pathetic fight, then lays down in the road, asking a vehicle to run him over before the driver takes him home safely. Schlubby is probably the kindest term one could call Ben, as he’s slightly unkempt, trodding back home, where he’s moved back in with his two mothers (Triangle of Sadness’ Dolly de Leon and Caroline Aaron). He lives in a basement with a door that never closes and sounds like a witch cackling when someone attempts to keep it shut. Between the Temples, from director Nathan Silver and co-written by Silver with C. Mason Wells, is itself a lot like Ben: it’s a bit shaggy, unpredictable, always odd, but with just enough heart that it’s easy to warm up to.

Between the Temples 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. Release Date January 19, 2024 Director Nathan Silver Runtime 111 minutes

What Is ‘Between the Temples’ About?
Ben is the way he currently is because his wife recently passed away. While everyone in his life is understanding of his pain, they’re still trying to get him back out in the dating world. His mothers try to set him up, creating a fake Jdate profile for him, while Rabbi Bruce (Robert Smigel) thinks his daughter Gabby (Madeline Weinstein) would hit it off with Ben, as she’s also going through a tough time. But Ben is far more focused on Carla O’Connor (Carol Kane), who used to teach Ben music in elementary school, and comes to the temple hoping to have a bat mitzvah. As Ben takes on this new student, he starts to feel a glimmer of the possibilities that he once felt before his wife died.

Between the Temple has an unusual sense of humor and a tone that always plays up the discomfort that Ben is feeling. These both intertwine to create an often unsettling style, thanks in large part to John Magary’s editing, that is claustrophobic and frantic, which can lead to awkward and cringey moments. Silver and Wells’ script can often feel like a strangely stitched-together narrative of disparate and uncomfortable situations for Ben to be in that are heightened by the choices in editing. For example, in one scene, Ben and Carla accidentally drink some “special” tea, which leads to Ben talking to a younger version of himself on TV, followed by a weird Benny Hill-esque chase around the house. While the situation itself is a funny idea, the execution of the scene is more bizarre than it is actively funny.

This combination can work at times, but Between the Temples often has a hard time finding the right mixture for each scene. However, some of the best moments focus on making this uncomfortable tone work, like in a climactic dinner scene near the end of the film that maximizes the clumsiness of Ben’s emotions with the absurdity surrounding him and his family. For the most part, the comedic sensibility that Silver and Wells are attempting to hit on works, but when it doesn’t, the flaws become glaringly apparent.

Much like last year’s The Holdovers, Silver’s direction gives this comedy an almost 70s-era feel to it, with a Hal Ashby style that evokes Harold and Maude at times. This look also gives Between the Temples an inherent warmth, even when it might be lacking in the narrative. There’s a slight haze to the camera, a feeling that’s almost as if this is a fuzzy memory or a lucid dream that borders between fantasy and nightmare.

Jason Schwartzman and Carol Kane Make a Wonderful Pair in ‘Between the Temples’

But Between the Temples largely works because of the relationship brewing between Schwartzman’s Ben and Kane’s Carla. In a way, Between the Temples sort of feels like a coming-of-age comedy for both of them, as they begin to find what they need in each other. In Carla, Ben finds possibilities and joys that he thought were gone from his life, and it’s delightful to watch Schwartzman find those optimistic options after all he’s been through. Ben is a comedic performance unlike we’ve seen from Schwartzman, as he lacks the self-confidence that we’ve come to expect through past roles. There’s a sadness to the character, but also a heart that we empathize with—even at his worst.

Similarly, Kane is wonderful as Carla, as she starts to find her faith through the teachings of Ben. Kane hasn’t had this type of performance in quite some time, and it’s lovely watching her in a role that allows her to explore the more reserved and over-the-top sides of her personality. But the film especially works when it puts these two together, as even through the simplest interactions, we’re able to see how their worlds open up with the other one there. At one point, Carla invites Ben out to dinner with her family, and we can immediately see she’d rather be there with just Ben. It’s this bond and these performances that make Between the Temples work as well as it does.

Between the Temples is bolstered by two solid performances from Schwartzman and Kane in roles that push what we’d typically expect from them. Silver’s vision doesn’t always work, sometimes feeling like a mishmash of ideas and tones that don’t always go well together. But when the film focuses on this central relationship, Between the Temples finds a lovely sweet spot that makes it all sing.

Between the Temples REVIEWBetween the Temples, from Nathan Silver, is a shaggy comedy that is often tonally awkward, but bolstered by two solid lead performances. ProsJason Schwartzman and Carol Kane are great together in roles that push both actors. The 1970s feel adds a warmth to the film that the narrative can often lack. ConsQuite often, Between the Temples feels like a bit of a tonal mess that is not quite sure how to best present certain scenes.

Between the Temples had its World Premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.