Between the Temples

        At this point in his career, I think we pretty much know Jason Schwartzman has a certain type of character he likes to play. He is like a fly drawn to those pretty blue lights, but unlike the flies, where it’s bad news for them, the characters he seems to play are good for us cinema lovers. Between the Temples brings Schwartzman back before our eyes and ears, and with him comes legend Carol Kane—who, this time, is not packing a toaster—as they deliver a story about having your world turned upside down.

Between the Temples is not about some disaster, but instead about how meeting someone or reconnecting with them can give you that feeling. Ben Gottlieb (Jason Schwartzman) is kind of lost at the moment. He is a Cantor at his temple, but he’s not really into it or much of anything in life right now. He has been this way since his divorce and lives with his moms, Judith (Dolly De Leon) and Meira (Caroline Aaron), who are trying their best to find a match for Ben. One night at a bar, he meets a woman who turns out to be his grade school music teacher, Mrs. Kessler (Carol Kane). Ben gets so drunk that she has to bring him back to her home. Slowly, the two of them start to hang out together more, seemingly filling a void in each other’s lives. Ben likes the way she makes him feel, even giving him the confidence to live a little, and he can help her have the bar mitzvah she always wanted but never got. Ben even meets someone he gets along with in Gabby (Madeline Weinstein), but that might not be what it seems. Ben might feel more for Mrs. Kessler, which is where the upside-down feelings come from, leading to quite a few laughs for us, the audience.

Written by C. Mason Wells and Nathan Silver, the latter also directing, Between the Temples is a movie about two people who inspire each other despite their own worries. There is a slight dark-humor tone that feels loose and improvised, with its often overlapping dialogue and small details that only add to how it will make you feel. Between the Temples is a screwball comedy at its heart, and that aspect of the movie really keeps the plot train running smoothly.

The film is not focused on a message or a theme, but instead on characters and truth. At first glance, you might not think a movie like this would work, but Silver avoids the traps and just delivers a funny and heartwarming story. Schwartzman and Kane are paired perfectly, as they feed off each other and throw themselves fully into the screwball aspects of the movie. Between the Temples really is a wonderful observation, as well as an often funny story about faith—in both each other and a higher power. There will be plenty of laughs, but it also never loses its dramatic weight, as it shows the importance of being around people who believe in you.