An American Pickle’ is filled with Jewish

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fi lm review

Seth Rogen mounts a pickle empire in An American Pickle.

Pickle Power

‘An American Pickle’ is fi lled with Jewish laughs.

ANDREW LAPIN EDITOR

Seth Rogen speaks Yiddish in An American Pickle. He also says the Mourner’s Kaddish, performs a variation on a Barynya (traditional Jewish Russian folk dance) and sports a big, bushy Slavic beard, with heavy accent to match. As Herschel Greenbaum, a prideful, crass pickle entrepreneur who sails to America with his wife in 1920 to seek a better life, Rogen wonderfully embodies the bootstrapped mentality of the early Jewish immigrant generation.

It’s a clever trick to have Rogen, this unmistakably Jewish face of modern slacker comedy, summon up the spirit of our hardworking, tough-talking ancestors. (Doubly so as he recently angered many Jews with his own fiery comments about Israel.) But Pickle, now streaming on HBO Max, takes this vision even further by also having Rogen play Herschel’s great-grandson, Ben, in modern-day Brooklyn … and by having the two men meet, and clash, after a freak accident leaves Herschel perfectly preserved in brine for 100 years.

This wacky setup, which shockingly contains zero marijuana jokes, is based on a short story by the Jewish humor writer Simon Rich, who also wrote the screenplay. As high-concept comedy goes, it’s as salty and habit-forming as a jar of Herschel’s delicious pickles. (“I myself am pickle!” insists

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this newly de-brined Rip Van Winkle.)

Herschel and Ben, a computer programmer trying to develop his own smartphone app, at first bond over a love of seltzer water. Yet their relationship quickly deteriorates as the elder Greenbaum becomes horrified that the descendant he worked so hard to provide for proves weak-willed, lacks business savvy and isn’t a practicing Jew.

Ben, in turn, can’t stand Herschel’s penchant for “doing violence” (he resolves his disputes with old-timey fisticuffs) or outdated attitudes about the world. Soon the two are sabotaging each other. But in a newworld Brooklyn that embraces artisanal throwbacks, it seems Herschel may have the upper hand.

The era-inappropriate humor has a pungent aroma of The 2,000-Year-Old Man, give or take 1,860 years — but you may be surprised, in the film’s second half, to find that you have been moved by these two dillweeds.

Spite tears the Greenbaums apart, but what ultimately brings them together is shared grief and a realization that prayer, ritual and acts of charity can bind the generations. It turns out Judaism is the best preservative.

An American Pickle is streaming on HBO Max. Visit hbomax.com for more info.

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SWAN SOARS, MAGIC AND A WIMBLEDON BAR MITZVAH BOY

Axios reporter Jonathan Swan, 34, is having a big career moment. Two weeks ago, an excerpt from his one-on-one interview with President Trump was released and shown “everywhere” (the full interview began streaming on HBO on Aug. 3). The excerpt was about American intelligence reports that the Russians were funding “bounties” for the killing (by the Taliban) of American military personnel in Afghanistan. On June 26, the NY Times reported on this intelligence. The Times story said the president had taken no action in response to his own administration’s intelligence reports. No reporter got the president to directly respond to the Times story before the Swan interview.

Swan was widely praised for

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STAYING CONNECTED At this time of social distancing, the Jewish News will try to bring awareness to events/ learning situations offered online by synagogues, temples and community organizations..

OUTDOOR THEATER 7 PM, AUG. 14 JET and the Walled Lake Downtown Development Authority are pleased to announce a free family production of the musical My Emperor’s New Clothes by Larry Shue. Bring your lawn chairs and your picnic to the Walled Lake Farmer’s Market, 1239-1269 East W. Maple Road, Walled Lake. State of Michigan safety protocols for outdoor gatherings will be followed.

MOVIES IN THE PARK 9-11 PM, AUG. 14 Toy Story 4 will be shown at City Hall Park in Downtown Dearborn. Downtown Dearborn staff will assist in the respectful, but dogged way he asked questions about this important story. The full interview featured Swan sharply questioning the president about his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic as well. Swan grew-up in Australia. His father, TWITTER Norman Swan, 67, is a physician and a famous name in Australian TV and radio. He’s worn three hats: as an executive who has reorganized programming in Jonathan Swan general; as the host of, or a guest on, medical shows; and as journalist exposing fraud in medical billing and research.

Jonathan began his journalism career in Australia. He began reporting in the states in 2015 and joined Axios in late 2016. His safety protocols Bring a lawn chair or blanket and settle in for a fun night. VIRTUAL CONCERTS 8 PM, AUG. 15 PIANO CONCERT 4:15 PM, AUG. 16 scoops include being the first to report that the U.S. would pull out of the Paris climate accords and the first to report that the U.S. would recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. The film Magic Camp has its worldwide premiere on Friday, Aug. 14 (Disney+). Andy (Adam DeVine) is a magician whose career isn’t going well. Roy (Jeffrey Tambor, 76), Andy’s former mentor, runs a summer camp for young, aspiring magicians. He persuades Andy that being a camp counselor might help raise his spirits. The film was co-written by Max Winkler, 36 (Henry Winkler’s son). Rebecca Metz, 46, appears in

The Ark in Ann Arbor will present: Robin Spielburg, solo piano music, 8 pm, Aug. 15; Kim Richey, Nashville tunesmith, 8 pm, Aug.17; View on the Ark Facebook page or on You Tube.

a supporting role. She’s perhaps The Kerrytown Concert House in Ann Arbor will present Louis Nagel, classical pianist and raconteur, in a program titled “Music for an ‘August’ Occasion.” View: Live @ The 415.

TOUR ISRAEL NOON - 1PM, AUG. 18 Temple Shir Shalom’s virtual tour of “Gaza, the West Bank and the Plan for Peace” with Rabbi Daniel Schwartz and Israeli tour guide Beni Levin. To register: shirshalom.org/form/livefromtheholyland or call 248-737-8700.

BRAIN HEALTH 11 AM, AUG. 19 Hadassah Greater Detroit Wellness Wednesday presents “How Do We Keep Our Brain Healthy as We Age” with Lynn Breuer of Jewish Family Service. Register by Aug. 17 for a fun, informative and interactive presentation: hadassahmidwest.org/ GDwellnesswednesday; 248-683- 5030.

BOOK LAUNCH 7 PM, AUG. 19 The Holocaust Memorial Center in Farmington Hills will present a book launch of Guy Stern’s Invisible Ink. holocaustcenter.org.

VIRTUAL TOUR NOON, AUG. 20-27 Members of Congregation Shaarey best known for a recurring role on the FX series Better Things as the competent and caring agent of the lead character, Sam (Pamela Adlon, 54).

Ted Lasso, a new 10-episode sitcom, begins streaming on Apple TV+ on Aug. 14. Jason Sudeikis stars as an affable American football coach who is recruited to coach an English soccer team, despite having no soccer coaching experience. Brett Goldstein, 39, has a large supporting role (Roy Kent).

Goldstein was profiled by the UK’s Jewish Chronicle in 2011. Goldstein, who was a bar mitzvah at the Wimbledon synagogue, had just finished-up a solo comedic show at a major comedy festival. He told festivalgoers about co-managing a strip club for a year with his father. His “respectable” father, suffering from a midlife crisis, left his job managing a bookstore for the strip club.

Zedek are invited to virtual tours of Israel with Rabbi Aaron Starr. All sessions will take place on Zoom. The cost for the entire course (seven sessions together) is $150 (one registration per household), and a minimum of 15 households committed are needed by Aug. 14 for the course to begin. Additional tipping is encouraged. Links will be provided after registration. Registration link: shaareyzedek.org/ events/israel-off-the-beaten-traila-virtual-tour-experience-for-thosewho-have-been-to-israel-before/.

ISRAEL TOUR AUG. 20 Hadassah Greater Detroit presents live from Israel: “The No Shoes Tour” with tour guide Beni Levin. Register by Aug. 18 for online tour of Jaffa and Tel Aviv. Cost: $18. Questions: greaterdetroit@hadassah.org or call 248-683-5030.

Compiled by Sy Manello/Editorial Assistant. Send items at least 14 days in advance to calendar@thejewishnews.com.