By Jonathan Monovich.

Encourages laughter at the absurdity of life while simultaneously empathizing with life’s difficulties that engulf its eclectic characters.”

You can’t judge a book by its cover, but you can certainly be drawn by it. The same goes for a film’s poster. As an owner of the Minnie and Moskowitz (1971) one-sheet, the playful recreation of its imagery for Between the Temples (2024) was immediately recognizable. It’s the style of poster, minimalist and now memorable, that arthouse films like L’Avventura (1960) Last Year at Mariendbad (1961), Band of Outsiders (1964), Cries and Whispers (1972), and Love on the Run (1979), were often given in the 1960s/1970s for their American releases. With text in place of illustrated artwork, in retrospect, these posters appropriately signaled the types of films that they accompanied. Dialogue-centric and simplistic, these films were quoteworthy and their characters truly drove the narrative during an experimental time when the essence of cinema was routinely being questioned. Between the Temples maintains that trend. With the unfortunate recent news of the great Gena Rowlands’ passing, Between the Temples will hopefully inspire viewers to revisit Minnie and Moskowitz. The film showcases one of Rowlands’ best performances, though it is one of her most overlooked collaborations with John Cassavetes. Like Minnie and Moskowitz, Between the Temples is about the frustrations that come from loneliness. Cassavetes’ films thrived on chaos, and commotion similarly remains at the core of Between the Temples.

In Minnie and Moskowitz, after seeing Casablanca (1942) with her mother, Minnie Moore (Gene Rowlands) has a monologue griping “I think that movies are a conspiracy… they set you up from the time you’re a little kid. They set you up to believe in everything… in ideals,  and strength, and good guys, and romance, and of course love… but there’s no Charles Boyer in my life… I never met Charles Boyer. I never met Clark Gable. I never met Humphrey Bogart.” Poking fun at the most memorable love stories, Cassavetes achieved an unconventional romantic comedy with Minnie and Moskowitz as Minnie’s unexpected future husband, Seymour Moskowitz (Seymour Cassel) is the antithesis of the characters played by Boyer, Bogart, and Gable. The idea of an unlikely pairing is the central theme of Between the Temples. Its story follows Ben Gottlieb (Jason Schwartzman), a despondent cantor at a New York temple. Lost in life following the death of his novelist wife, Gottlieb has moved back home with his mothers Meira (Caroline Aaraon) and Judith (Dolly De Leon). Despite being a cantor by occupation for Rabbi Bruce (Robert Smigel), Gottlieb has lost the will to sing. His days are spent tormented by a screeching door, getting provoked at bars, being forced into therapy, and failing suicide attempts. Though this setup may sound like a real downer, Nathan Silver and C. Mason Wells’ writing paired with Silver’s direction and the liveliness of indie icon Sean Price Williams’ signature cinematography allows for the dark subject to be presented in a comedic fashion akin to Harold and Maude (1971). Between the Temples is designed to encourage laughter at the absurdity of life while simultaneously empathizing with life’s difficulties that engulf its eclectic characters.

Carla’s religious naivety paired with Gottlieb’s religious discernment leads to some hilariously uncomfortable situations.

Struggling to even keep his students awake, when Gottlieb’s former elementary school music teacher, Carla Kessler (Carol Kane), expresses the desire to have the Bat Mitzvah that she always wanted but never had, his life is turned upside down. Apart from their several decade age gap, Carla and Gottlieb’s personalities differ greatly. Whereas Gottlieb is dejected, pessimistic, and uninspired, Carla is resilient, upbeat, and direct. Because her parents were communists, Carla was denied the opportunity for a Bat Mitzvah. She has also faced her own fair share of setbacks, having experienced three strokes within the last year, and has made it clear that Gottlieb’s misery is not going to dissuade her from embarking down this path. Carla’s religious naivety paired with Gottlieb’s religious discernment leads to some hilariously uncomfortable situations. This awkwardness is comedically amplified by Williams’ quick zooms and cuts amidst unpleasant conversations and interactions that emphasize the anxiety of Between the Temples’ characters. Furthermore, quirky sound design, frequent speeding up/slowing down, split screen effects, and old school circle zooms add stylistic bravado to the overall toned down look of the film. Williams’ cinematography can also be described by soft focus which gives Between the Temples a gentle quality. The 16mm film grain helps establish a sense of comfort amidst the constant bickering at play. Throughout their quarrels, Carla and Gottlieb begin to realize that opposites attract and they may not be so dissimilar after all. Their journey in arriving at that realization comes with its complications and most of which occur over meals. These scenes are some of the most memorable for the cringe that they bring, particularly a climactic dinner scene resembling the unforgettable one from Minnie and Moskowitz. It’s the kind of scenario that no one would want to endure, but you can’t look away.

While Between the Temples primarily works due to the inventiveness of its filmmakers and their stylistic edge, it is also indebted to the talent of its cast. Schwartzman and Kane, both well accustomed to humor, thrive in making Between the Temples a clever comedy fixated on human struggle. Their collaboration feels like the kind that was more prevalent in the heartwarming screwball revival films of the 1970s. Equally noteworthy is SNL alum Robert Smigel’s performance as the deadpan, golf enthusiast Rabbi Bruce. The subtlety in his delivery allows for some of the funniest one-liners of the film. Rabbi Bruce’s daughter, Gabby, played by up-and-comer Madeline Weinstein also makes a mark as a struggling actress with a poor Katherine Hepburn impersonation. Her presence further complicates the film’s story, allowing for even more tension between the protagonist’s temples.

While we wait for a restoration of Minnie and Moskowitz, ideally one by the Criterion Collection, Between the Temples helps fill a void. Its loose Minnie and Moskowitz inspiration is genuine, though Between the Temples is a strong standalone film. Silver is a director/writer to watch out for with potential to break out in a big way due to his off kilter brand of comedy. Should Silver continue to collaborate with Williams as he did for The Great Pretender (2018) and Thirst Street (2017), this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Between the Temples is exclusively in theaters, starting August 23rd, via Sony Pictures Classics.

Jonathan Monovich is a Chicago-based writer and a regular contributor for Film International. His writing has also been featured in Film Matters, Bright Lights Film Journal, and PopMatters.

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