Menashe offers viewers a rare look into the world of an Orthodox Jewish Community located in Brooklyn's Borough Park. The film tells the story of Menashe (Menashe Lustig) fighting for custody of his son Rieven (Ruben Nidorski) after his wife Leah passes away. Menashe's Rabbi tells him that Rieven must be raised in a home with a father and mother and that until Menashe remarries, Rieven will be cared for by his uncle. Menashe struggles with the thought of losing his son and languishes the idea of him living in the home of a man who Menashe feels has no respect for him and is entirely too strict with Rieven. However, Menashe does not want to rush into marrying just to satisfy the wishes of the Rabbi, only adding to his predicament.
From the start it is clear that Menashe is different than
most other men in the community – he dresses differently, often omitting the
traditional jacket and hat. He is also clumsy and constantly running late, in
stark contrast to the strict and proper disposition of his peers. Menashe questions
the traditions that have put him in this predicament, having to fight to keep
his own child. However, Menashe yearns for respect from the community, especially
his brother-in-law and Rabbi, and sets out to show that he can provide a
healthy home for his son.
Director
Joshua Z. Weinstein drew inspiration for the story from Menashe Lustig himself.
Lustig told The Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) that “the whole movie is a 95%
percent true story, we just touched it up a little bit.” Weinstein spent time
within Brooklyn’s Orthodox community to get a clearer sense of the world he was
entering and to gain the trust of its people. This authenticity is not lost
upon the film and throughout the film’s 82 minutes, Weinstein manages to
immerse the audience in numerous aspects of Orthodox rituals and culture. We get
a glimpse into daily customs as well as special songs and ceremonies of
Orthodox Jews that are intertwined within the story.
While
Menashe is a unique film that explores a little known cultural subsect and is
the first movie filmed almost entirely in Yiddish in 70 years, the heart of the
film is a well-known story of a father in a tough situation trying to do the
right thing. The moments where Menashe interacts with his son - making goofy
faces, taking him for ice cream, and always trying to make him smile – are the fire
that keep the film going. These instances help the audience connect with
Menashe and his son and truly create a vested interest between the audience and
characters. We are taken through the struggles and hardships Menashe encounters
as he tries to tiptoe the line between his religion and his internal desires. The
audience is able to sympathize with Menashe’s position, seeing him have to
weigh the need to have his child home with the importance of religion and
community. This dichotomy puts a fresh spin on the story helping to separate it
from past films that dive into the ‘single parent trying to raise a child
alone’ territory. Menashe opened in
New York and Los Angeles on July 28th and will be opening nationwide
in the near future.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
