What It’s About:
Depressed Jewish cantor Ben Gottlieb (Schwarzman) has lost the ability to sing due to the recent death of his wife. His boss, Rabbi Bruce (Smigel), is sympathetic, but the dazed, disheveled Ben doesn’t seem to be improving until he runs into Carla Kessler (Kane), his old music teacher from grade school. A free spirit, Carla wants to prepare for her Bat Mitzvah decades after the customary time. Initially resistant, Ben finally agrees to help her, and soon falls under the older lady’s spell. Meanwhile Ben’s two lesbian mothers (Aaron and De Leon) want to set him up with Gabby (Weinstein), the Rabbi’s pretty but fragile daughter.
Why We Love It:
They say they don’t make ‘em like they used to, but “Temples” may be the exception, recalling the wildly original films of Hal Ashby. Like Ashby’s classic “Harold and Maude” from 1971, there’s an unlikely May-December romance at the heart of this quirky outing, as once again a vibrant older lady gives a morose young man a new lease on life. The two stars have never been better, with Schwarzman digging into his schlubby, unglamorous role, and septuagenarian actress Kane luminous as the sweet, eccentric Carla, who’s also had her share of pain. As with Levy’s Rye, you don’t have to be Jewish to love “Between the Temples”.