You are so not invited to my bat mitzvah. Stacey and Lydia are BFFs who've always dreamed about having epic bat mitzvahs, but things start to go awry when a popular boy and middle school drama threatens their friendship and the rite of passage. First thing to know is that this is an Adam Sandler movie, and not just an Adam movie, but an entire Sandler story.
In addition to the comedian, his wife Jackie, and daughters Sadie and Sunny, they also star. Idina Menzel plays a large role, too, and there's even a small appearance by Louise Guzman. Once you know that it's not an Adam Sandler drama, the expectations, they can be tempered at what we're going to get.
Funny thing is, though, that this is really charming and has a lot of chuckle-worthy moments. The story immerses us in the bar and bat mitzvah season, where it appears that every weekend somebody is celebrating, meaning that there are a lot of parties, and for the kids, there's an increasing pressure to have their party be the pinnacle of the year. There's a ton of internal monologue that we hear, especially from Sunny Sandler as Stacy.
She's angsty, overly dramatic at times, but also caring and kind. Mostly. And like any good teen comedy, there's the inclusion of a romantic arc.
And here, it's the melodrama of middle school crushes that comes into conflict with existing friendships. While the movie tells a cohesive story, most of it feels like a huge series of vignettes that are then combined. A lot of the transitions are choppy from one scene to the next, but somehow it also works by trimming most of the excess and just giving us the important and good parts.
That's not to say that every single area lands or is effective, but more often than not, the scenes contain an element that provides character development or growth, some humor, or even an area of conflict that helps to move the narrative forward. We get several scenes of the kids at Hebrew school. I'm not really sure what it's called exactly, but there's this dedicated time where they're learning about Judaism and the inner workings of their faith.
And while this sounds like it could be dry, preachy, indoctrinating even, these scenes are played for comedy, showcasing quirky characters while also giving us context into the drama of friendships. Now, the majority of this movie is very predictable. Stacey likes a boy, and after an awkward encounter, she swears him off.
And then her best friend Lydia picks up the mantle of liking that boy. And then, of course, hurt feelings and tension ensue. The back and forth, it's a little drawn out, but it's needed to amp up the emotion, which then leads to some very cringy and even painful interactions between the two.
Now, the setup is obvious, but it doesn't take away from the effectiveness. And then there's this good portion that showcases the strain between the friends. And I really loved both actresses' emotions that they put into this.
I mean, there's a rawness to some of their expressions that I think are relatable, but then also heartbreaking. And because both of the characters have been developed to be charismatic and likable, we root for their reconciliation so there can be an end to this painful awkwardness. The movie is an hour and 43 minutes with some of the parts being directly relatable for parents.
Idina Menzel and Jackie Sandler, they're having this conversation at the front door. And all the while, we hear this conversation that's taking place in the background. And it is absolutely true to life and hilarious.
I mean, we don't see any of the actions from what we hear, but they're written and executed creatively enough to just paint the picture vividly within our minds. There is a huge level of silliness also that's maintained throughout most of the movie. Surprisingly, though, it doesn't end up negating the touching emotional angles.
And I think because the silliness revolves around the familiarity of family and friends. So the emotion that is then enhanced and it feels normal. Adam Sandler is also very much in the background for the movie.
He lets his daughter take the spotlight and really is just being a funny and sarcastic dad. And I got the sense that because he's so down to earth in this, that it could be kind of like a real life representation of him. Just kicking back, spending time with his family on set, coming up with lines as he goes along that fit with the narrative, but are also creative and funny.
So overall, if you want something light, but still with sincerity, mild drama and laughs, You Are So Not Invited by Mott Mitzvah is a great choice for a family movie night. Sonny Sandler convincingly plays the tumultuously emotional teenager while still maintaining charm with a small bit of cheese. And while this isn't a laugh riot, there is a lot of relatable humor that draws heavily on real life scenarios, creating genuine chuckles.
The storytelling is a little choppy, but the story is cohesive, leading to an obvious and predictable solution that's still wholly satisfying. I give You Are So Not Invited to my Mott Mitzvah three and a half out of five couches.
Posted using CineTV