An American Pickle

Brandon Trost's comedy-drama features Seth Rogen in two parts as two estranged relatives who are separated by a hundred years. The movie begins in 1919 and centers on Herschel Greenbaum, a Jewish immigrant from Eastern Europe who moves to Brooklyn with his wife Sarah after the Cossacks demolish their shtetl. Herschel, who works as a rat killer in a pickle factory, unintentionally falls into a brine vat and is preserved flawlessly for a century. When scientists bring him back to life in modern-day Brooklyn, he finds that Ben Greenbaum (also Rogen), a polite freelance app developer who has strayed from his Jewish heritage and battles with career direction, is the only surviving descendent.

What starts out as a fish-out-of-water comedy turns into a reflection on cultural assimilation, generational trauma, and legacy. Ben's modern, digitally mediated life and Herschel's traditional resolve and religious dedication clash, causing tension that ultimately leads to understanding. Although it frequently poses more difficult concerns than it finally resolves, the movie exploits it's ridiculous premise to examine how Jewish identity has changed throughout American generations.

Rogen showcases his versatility by portraying two distinct characters: Herschel and Ben. Herschel embodies a Yiddish character marked by a rich accent and physicality, reflecting a deep vulnerability beneath his explosive temper. In contrast, Ben is portrayed with subdued energy, encapsulating grief and stagnation. Key technical aspects include impressive dual performances facilitated by adept direction and editing, particularly in a pivotal confession scene revealing Ben's guilt. The film opens strongly, utilizing a 1:1 aspect ratio and desaturated colors to depict 1919, creating a vivid contrast when transitioning to 2019. The narrative effectively delves into the Jewish-American experience, emphasizing cultural preservation amid modern challenges. The production quality is notably high for its streaming origins, with seamless visual effects and a fitting score that highlights the cultural divide. Ultimately, the film balances character depth with humor, culminating in a poignant emotional climax that reflects on family and legacy.

The film struggles with a repetitious middle segment when Ben's small-time sabotage of Herschel's pickle company lacks credibility, despite effectively introducing its idea and characters. In the end, the screenplay prioritizes superficial humor over in-depth examination of its subjects due to its tonal instability and inability to strike a balance between comedy, satire, and drama. Even while it brings up important topics like anti-Semitism and the experiences of immigrants, it handles them in a straightforward manner, choosing simple gags over nuance. Clara, in particular, receives very little character development and is merely used to further the plot. Herschel and Ben's tense relationship is not sufficiently established, and their emotional reconciliation seems hurried, making the resolution undeserved. All things considered, the movie lacks narrative concentration, which prevents it from having any possible emotional resonance.

An American Pickle is a movie with sincere aspirations and sporadic success but, in the end, is unable to maintain its own greatest concepts. Rogen's performances are dedicated, the premise is clever, and the Jewish-American perspective's cultural uniqueness adds something new to the congested comedic scene. However, the screenplay isn't the unique piece it could have been because of its variable tone, structural flaws, and retreat from the implications of its own concept.

The movie is most effective as a character study of two guys struggling with identity and legacy; it performs poorly when it tries to be relevant or make a lot of people laugh. It implies that Trost may become a visually unique director with better material and that Rogen has unrealized dramatic potential. Even if it leaves you wanting for the more rigorous film it could have been, it has enough authentic moments for anyone interested in studies of Jewish identity or generational separation to justify its short runtime.

Staff:

Directed by: Brandon Trost

Written by: Simon Rich

Based on: "Sell Out" by Simon Rich

Produced by: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and James Weaver

Starring: Seth Rogen and Sarah Snook.

Cinematography: John Guleserian

Edited by: Lisa Zeno Churgin

Music by: Michael Giacchino (original themes) and Nami Melumad (score)

Production companies: Sony Pictures and Point Grey Pictures

Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures

Release date: August 6, 2020

Running time: 89 minutes