Last Updated on March 17, 2025 by Stephinie Heitman
Between the Temples is a 2024 Comedy Movie Directed by Nathan Silver. The film stars Jason Schwartzman, Carol Kane, and Dolly De Leon, with a runtime of 1h 51m, and was released on August 23, 2024.
It is immediately evident that Ben Gottlieb (Jason Schwartzman) is a wreck the moment the film introduces him. Ben is a temple cantor but he cannot sing anymore. Just at the beginning of the film credits, we find Ben running through the temple, going to the bar place, making himself drunk with his special concoction of milkshake, getting into a pathetic fight, sleeping in the middle of the road, and awaiting his death by being run over by a vehicle only to be taken home instead! Schlubby is probably the nicest way to describe Ben, as he is slightly scruffy, walking away from Marsha, back home, where he has returned to live with two mothers – Dolly de Leon from Triangle of Sadness and Caroline Aaron. He presently resides in a basement with a door that remains somewhat ajar but lets out a spooky witch-like giggle when one tries to close it.
Ben is the way he is now because his wife died recently. Everyone in his life understands his pain to some extent but nobody is ready to give him space as they push him to get back into dating. His mother’s attempt at matchmaking involves them creating a fake profile for him on Jdate and Rabbi Bruce (Robert Smiger) believing his daughter Gabby (Madeline Weinstein) would do well with Ben as she too is facing some issues. However, Ben is much more interested in Carla O’Connor, the former elementary school music teacher of Ben who visits the temple with a desire to participate in the ceremony of bat mitzvah. When Ben takes this new student, he begins to experience again the same feeling that he once had before the death of his wife.
Between the Temple is not one to shy away from comedic moments while at the same time always providing commentary on the fact that Ben is uncomfortable. It is in both of these aspects where it forms an often uncomfortable tone, due to the credited editing by John Magary, where it maintains a sense of feeling both urgently confined and suffocating that can lead to unintentionally uncomfortable and embarrassing situations. Silver and Wells’ script frequently has a sense of being constructed from unrelated, and sometimes rather uncomfortable scenarios for Ben to be in – all of which are enhanced by the choices made in the way that it has been edited. For instance, at one point, Ben and Carla unintentionally consume some special tea and consequently, the main character gets to speak to an adolescent version of Ben on TV and the subsequent Benny Hill mock chase around the house.
The concept of the given situation is funny by itself, but the way the scene is played out is quite ridiculous rather than downright comical. At the same time, it can be effective, but Between the Temples sometimes struggles to find the right balance for each scene. However, some of the best moments are related to this incongruous tone, such as the entertaining dinner near the end of the movie that parodically amplifies both Ben’s clumsy sentimentality and the ridiculousness stemming from him and his family. While Silver and Wells are trying to attach some degree of comedy to the series, for the most part, it works, but when it does not the problems are easily identifiable.
However, Between the Temples primarily succeeds due to the developing chemistry between Schwartzman’s Ben and Kane’s Carla. On some level, it is kind of a coming-of-age comedy for both of them as they realize what the other has to offer. In Carla, Ben finds hope and happiness that he believed he lost in his life and thus it is heartwarming to see Schwartzman discover those positives after everything he went through. Ben is a comedic performance unlike we have seen from Schwartzman, as he is not the confident self that we saw in the previous parts. The character has a despairing quality but there is an ember of humanity that we relate to even when the character is being terrible. Just like that Kane is fantastic as Carla especially when she begins to rediscover her faith in the teachings of Ben.
I have never seen Kane in such a style of performance and it is beautiful to see her being dramatic and raw in a character that is calm and expressive at the same time. However, when these two are paired together, the film hits home, as even the most mundane encounters reveal how their lives expand with the other person in the room. Once, Carla invites Ben out to dinner with her family and for a while, Ben can tell that she would prefer to be with him.
This is why Between the Temples works as well as it does, thanks primarily to this bond and these performances. Between the Temples is relieved by two strong performances from Schwartzman and Kane in roles that go beyond usual typical performances. Silver’s vision is not always successful, it can be quite schizophrenic, and it’s an unsuitable mixture of ideas and tones. When the film pinpoints this core connection, Between the Temples lands in a rather beautiful groove that elevates everything.
Between the Temples 2024 Parents Guide Age Rating
Between the Temples is rated R by the Motion Picture Rating (MPA) for language and some sexual references.
Language: There is the constant use of abusive, vulgar, and lewd expressions in the film, including the F-word, S-word, and other obscene expressions. It is employed when the main character feels annoyed or furious, which connects to the overall theme of the film. This humor’s examples are:
Some scenes contain vulgar references to religious themes which might be at some point offending to some people.
Sexual Content: There are several sexual images and references made throughout the movie. These references are still rather incorporated into the jokes but may be quite vulgar for children to comprehend. Love and dating are among the presented themes and they focus on the relationships between people after the death of a partner. It also involves some rather difficult and even cringe-worthy discussions regarding affectionate and intimate connections. The main character is forced into the dating scene and the topics that relate to sexual attraction and the process of healing after the loss of a loved one.
Substance Use: Ben, the main character, portrays to indulge in, is depicted many times, although it is usually shown as binge drinking. This includes scenes where he mixes a milkshake with alcohol and then goes out drunk to the extent of fainting in public places. One of the scenes is when Ben and Carla accidentally consume a special tea that has some hallucinogenic properties. This results in a rather dreamlike scene where Ben begins to have vivid and rather psychedelic visions, including a meeting with his younger self.
Violence: There are a few scenes that could be characterized as depicting physical aggression but they are not very intense, such as when Ben gets into a weak fight at the start of the film. While present, it does not dwell too much on violence and it is more of black humor rather than something violent and dark. It is illustrated through Ben’s self-destructive behaviors where he lies in the middle of the road which means that he is willing to die. The show is lighthearted to the core, yet this scene can cause discomfort to some of the audience.
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