Review: Between The Temples (2024)

Co/writer and director Nathan Silver delivers a slice of life story that it equal parts funny, sad, and discomforting. At the center of this tale about love, loss, and Judaism is Jason Schwartzman (who gained noticeable weight for the part) and Carol Kane, who lights up the screen in every scene she appears in. When Ben (Schwartzman) meets Carla (Kane), he's at the end of his rope: his wife has died, he's lost his faith, and this church canter can longer even sing. Carla was once his voice and music teacher decades ago, and the two strike up an unlikely relationship in which they each help fill some of the holes in each other's hearts. Shot on 16mm film, the movie has a grainy, low-fi look that establishes an appropriately noisy aesthetic. The camera is often far too close to its subject, making us feel as uncomfortable and awkward as the characters. The film has laugh-out-loud moments, but this isn't a traditional comedy and will appeal to a quiet and thoughtful audience, especially when it veers into a cringe-inducing finale--but even that is by design. Between The Temples is warm and life-affirming film with moments of melancholy and ambiguity. In art as in life, joy and sadness balance on a razor's edge, with each victory offering only temporary respite.