The feature debut from writer/director Emma Seligman, Shiva Baby (expanded from Seligman’s 2018 short) is a wonderfully wry comedy about a young woman’s life unraveling during the course of an afternoon at a shiva (the post-burial mourning for Jewish families).
Rachel Sennott stars as Danielle, a student flailing between school and work, who has a sugar-daddy arrangement with the older Max (Danny Deferrari). Dragged to attend shiva for a woman she barely knows, Danielle soon bumps into her ex-girlfriend Maya (Molly Gordon, Booksmart), a situation that only becomes more awkward when Max turns up with his wife and their new baby in tow.
Shiva Baby unfolds like a feature-length episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm; Danielle has to juggle the throngs of pushy relatives who quiz her about her weight and love life, her well-meaning but intense parents (brilliantly played by the iconic Polly Draper and Fred Melamed), her ex-girlfriend, and her confusing relationship with Max, which has been built on lies from each side.
In many ways, Shiva Baby already feels like a comedy classic. Everything from Seligman’s spot-on script and direction to the incredible performances from the ensemble cast feels lived-in and real. Shiva Baby perfectly encapsulates the complexities of modern Jewish family dynamics, contained within one of the best debut comedies in years. You’ll lap it up like a bagel with schmear.
Shiva Baby screened as part of the Calgary International Film Festival.
SXSW 2024: The best live accts we caught at this year's music festival include BALTHVS,…
SXSW 2024: Omar and Cedric: If This Ever Gets Weird is an honest look at the…
SXSW 2024: The Hobby is an entertaining and often moving look at the designers and…
The latest collection includes the 4K debuts of HIS GIRL FRIDAY, GUESS WHO’S COMING TO…
Our reviews of The Fall Guy, Babes, and Y2K out of this year's SXSW Film…
7 features to check out at this year's Film Festival including music documentaries, horror films,…