“Between the Temples” is a 2024 indie comedy film following Ben Gottlieb (Jason Schwartzman) and his troubled life following the death of his wife a year prior. Ben is lost and abysmally depressed, yet throughout the film he rediscovers his sense of tenderness and care through a woman (Carol Kane) who reminds him of his capacity to love.

The story has a great introduction, opening with a shot of Ben sitting somberly with his hands folded and pressed against his mouth as the camera slowly zooms out to reveal his parents. As his parents enter the frame, the dialogue reveals that they are discussing treatment for Ben and expressing how they want to help him. It is almost moving, yet this engaging beginning quickly falls apart as the movie’s flaws begin to shine through, subtly showing pieces of his personality through his frazzled mental state and implied suicidal tendencies.

The cinematography in the film leaves a lot to be desired. It’s evident what the director was going for, but the final product falls short of what was intended. While keeping it simple is fine for a film like this, there are clear attempts at a much more unique and quirky style, almost similar to Wes Anderson. “There is a difference between drawing influence from a work and adding original direction to it, rather than simply being a replica that frames the lost potential the film could’ve had.

It is impossible to talk about “Between the Temples” without discussing its heavy themes of modern Jewish practices and its inclusion of Jewish tradition into the story. The subject matter is presented well, and I was impressed by how the movie wove the Jewish aspect of the story in a way that respectfully portrays Jewish people. The practices in the film are simply depicted as a part of the character’s lives, and it is great to see excellent representation in a film.

One of the biggest issues with the film is that it’s just not funny. Comedy is subjective, but the wit and humor of the majority of jokes felt reminiscent of modern Marvel movies with the way they are simply told with no apparent connection to the present circumstances. Situational comedy is one of the most open-ended and easily utilized types of comedy, and to see it so underdeveloped is disappointing, to say the least.

The writing of the film wants to tell a compelling story, yet the pacing of the film often flops between unserviceable and overwhelming. Eventually, Ben meets Carla Kessler (Carol Kane), a ditsy librarian who reignites something within him. The characters themselves are excellent, yet the script struggles to create believable chemistry between them; any warm feelings they have for each other feel fabricated, almost as if manufactured in a lab.

One of my favorite aspects of the film was Jason Schwartzman’s performance. I greatly enjoyed the life he breathed into Ben, and how real he made the character. There were a few times when I could feel the poor writing and character direction dragging the character down, but Schwartzman’s excellent delivery helped salvage throwaway lines or padding in the script.

“Between the Temples” has all the pieces to create a unique and compelling narrative following a hopeless man who rediscovers love and the joys of life through new connections, yet this potential is wasted through flat jokes, poor writing, and unengaging plot progression. The film would greatly benefit from dropping the comedy aspect in favor of telling a much more grounded and realistic story.