Between the Temples Parent Guide

“Ben. Even my name is in the past tense.” So says Ben Gottlieb (Jason Schwartzman), a man who believes the best of his life is over. He’s recently widowed and no longer able to sing, a critical problem since he works as a cantor at the local Jewish synagogue.

After a failed suicide attempt, Ben finds himself downing mudslides in a local bar, where he encounters Carla O’Connor (nee Kessler), his childhood music teacher. Too much alcohol and one perilous drive later and the evening is over.

Ben is startled when Carla shows up at the bar-and-bat mitzvah class he teaches for kids at the synagogue. The retired senior insists that since she wasn’t able to have a bat mitzvah as a tween, she wants one now – and she expects Ben to help her prepare. Initially reluctant, Ben soon finds himself inspired by Carla’s joie de vivre. It looks like teaching Carla to reclaim her religious heritage just might help Ben rediscover his voice…

I went into the theater expecting Between the Temples to be darkly comic, quirky, and hopeful and wound up disappointed. (It’s possible that I missed Jewish in-jokes – maybe the movie’s better if you get them all.) From my suburban perspective, this film feels weird and sometimes icky. There is a subplot where Ben’s matchmaking mothers (Caroline Aaron and Dolly De Leon) throw him at the rabbi’s messed-up daughter, Gabby (Madeline Weinstein). Deeply insecure after a broken engagement, Gabby is amenable and available. She reads the book written by Ben’s late wife, Ruth, and tells him that the book arouses her. Then she insists on listening to sexually explicit voicemails left by Ruth, and becomes more aroused, moving in on Ben while reciting the messages. There is no sexual activity on screen, but the vibes are voyeuristic and unpleasant.

Also unfortunate is the script’s constant reliance on substance use: characters smoke cigarettes occasionally and drink alcohol frequently, sometimes over-imbibing. Carla drives while intoxicated – and that’s supposed to be funny. Even worse, Carla gives Ben mushroom tea without warning, and he hallucinates. The scene is shot from his perspective and it’s very disorienting.

Not only is the content problematic, but the movie’s delivery also struggles. The cinematography and editing rely heavily on jerky camera work and awkwardly cut scenes. It’s supposed to be portentous but succeeds only in being pretentious – and annoying.

Where this production succeeds brilliantly is in its casting. Carol Kane is a comic genius and in her portrayal of Carla, she gives us a delightfully honest, scatty woman who doesn’t want to let her vulnerabilities and challenges stand in the way of living her life the way she wants. Carla is kind, open-hearted, and unfailingly generous and it’s no wonder that Ben responds to her sincere encouragement. As for Jason Schwartzman, he delivers depression with a capital “D”. Watching him slowly find his way back to life is rewarding – but only if you can stand the negative content and the chaotic film work in the last half hour of the story.