Rent Shiva Baby (2020)
3.4 of 5 from 250 ratings
1h 14min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- "Shiva Baby" is a darkly playful comedy of chaos about a young bisexual woman grappling with tradition and independence over the course of one climactic day-long shiva, a Jewish gathering of friends and family during a time of mourning. A highlight of 2020's Toronto International Film Festival and SXSW, and featuring a standout lead performance from emerging actor-comedian Rachel Sennott, the acclaimed feature debut from writer-director Emma Seligman is bold, modern filmmaking at it's most daring, hilarious and unforgettable.
- Actors:
- Rachel Sennott, Danny Deferrari, Fred Melamed, Polly Draper, Molly Gordon, Glynis Bell, Rita Gardner, Cilda Shaur, Jackie Hoffman, Richard Brundage, Noemie Zysermann, Dianna Agron, Sondra James, Ted Seligman, Edgar Harmanci, Deborah Offner, Vivien Landau, Robin Wesley-Peck, Ariel Eliaz, Al Choy
- Directors:
- Emma Seligman
- Producers:
- Kieran Altmann, Katie Schiller, Lizzie Shapiro
- Writers:
- Emma Seligman
- Studio:
- Mubi
- Genres:
- Comedy, Drama
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 22/11/2021
- Run Time:
- 77 minutes
- Languages:
- English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
- Subtitles:
- English, English Hard of Hearing
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 2.39:1
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- B
- Bonus:
- Q&A with Writer-Director Emma Seligman
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Reviews (5) of Shiva Baby
Highly watchable social satire - Shiva Baby review by PD
This pocket-sized comedy by newcomer Emma Seligman is by-and-large a successful, relentless parody of North American Jewish types (although quite a lot of the satire is universal) which will delight most and probably offend some (and that's a compliment). Dragooned into the event by her anxious parents, the drifting Danielle (the wonderful Rachel Sennott) attends a family shiva – the Jewish equivalent of a wake, albeit more decorous. The boasting 'bubbies' and meddling mamas would be bad enough, but Danielle also has to contend with the presence of both her ex-girlfriend and the older man with whom she sleeps for money. The film's humour is derived from an impressive range of social awkwardness, with some positively Woody Alleneque lines: a Gentile baby, complains Danielle’s mother, is “freakishly pale and has no nose.” Meanwhile, broken glass objects, a deafeningly screaming baby, a relentlessly suspicious wife and a shedload of prying relatives make the claustrophobic house a scene of excruciatingly beautiful tension. Seligman overdoes it occasionally – there’s a tableau of the older generation eating for example that just feels mean – and the premise, which began life as a short film, is stretched pretty thin, with an awful lot of implausible twists, by the end of 75 minutes. Still, the concept holds strong amid all the craziness because Seligman has such affectionate sympathy for her protagonist. Pleased I gave this one a go.
3 out of 4 members found this review helpful.
Funny Black Comedy - Shiva Baby review by GI
A black situation comedy where embarrassment and lies are excruciatingly revealed. It follows young Danielle (Rachel Sennott), who having just had sex with an older man, Max (Danny Deferrari) who pays her because she tells him she needs money for her school fees, goes to a shiva ( a sort of jewish wake), with her parents. She knows she'll have to go through the torment of elderly relatives telling her she needs to eat more, get a boyfriend etc etc, but she is mortified when Max also turns up, along with his wife and child. Max is equally wary especially as he learns Danielle is from a wealthy family and doesn't need any money. Danielle's day gets worse when her former lover, Maya (Molly Gordon) is there too and begins to suspect that Danielle and Max have some secrets. Apart from the opening scene the film is set in an overcrowded house where the characters have to navigate to avoid each other. It results in a sharp comedy of manners that is occasionally a little callow and intense. It's a confident debut from director Emma Seligman and the screenplay, also written by her, is based on real experience. Funny and a bit cringy at times but well worth checking out.
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.
Excruciating embarassment - Shiva Baby review by AB
The whole of the action in this short film takes place at a Jewish shiva gathering (mourning a deceased person). A young bisexual woman, played brilliantly by Rachel Sennott), finds herself in some most embarassing situations. The humour is of the excruciating, I want to curl up into a ball and disappear variety. We found not many laugh-out-loud moments. I think the film is worth a watch, just.
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.