sashinka | observation orientated, with a twist of lime | a blog

Suzy Gold - gey gezunterheyt

[Spoilers, should you care.]

Felt I should put my £7.90 where my mouth is, so down to the Swiss Odeon Cottage last night (when I should have been working, I know...) with M.

Short form: not half as bad as I expected. Gold taps to die for. The plot is meaningless, the acting is atrocious (especially Iddo Goldberg), and Summer Phoenix's mouth seems to have a mind/part of its own. Some cute little observations. Some inspired writing, as well as some crass-first draft type writing. Ultimately, a commercial film that is nowhere near MBFGW or any other such movie, but if you're Jewish, there are gags you'll like.

The premise doesn't work. You don't get why Suzy is all confident and North London one minute and then the minute she gets in a non-Jewish environment she's all tongue-tied and nervous. And the truth about - most - monied North Londoners who shop on Marylebone High Street, dress expensively, have a lot of lattes and work in TV is that they have loads of non-Jewish friends. Of course. And they've probably been out with loads of non-Jews, even if they end up marrying in. And like, her parents wouldn't be over the moon about the NJB being a caterer: they'd rather he was in investment banking. And he kisses the mezzuzah when he goes in the house. Like, p-u-leease.

And the non-Jews are all multi-racial families and hippies and live in bohemian high-rise pads. Or council flats. Low slung furniture. And go to pubs all the time. And Suzy and Darren go and see Guess Who's Coming to Dinner - which is not being revived, except on TV - at the Screen on Baker Street. Suzy's Mum appears to wear the same suit for Yom Kippur as she does for her daughter's wedding, which would never happen. And Suzy has to wear a bridesmaid dress the like of which has not been seen since 1983. And someone who's hair is that straight just wouldn't wear that dress.

And her friends are like fakes of the Sex in the City girls. Only not as well written. And it's a bit too OTT on the "this is a shiva - when people die"... you feel like it's made for non-Jews, but in case we think they're stupid, let's explain. But, weirdly, the Yiddish isn't translated, you're supposed to get it from context.

It's cute, it's partially well-observed, someone I was at Cheder with did the music, it doesn't set the world on fire, it's nowhere near as good as Me Without Your or Wondrous Oblivion (both of which are better films but way less commercial), and you wanted to edit the script. Badly. But, having said all that, it's not bad. The eight people (we didn't know) in the cinema last night had a little seminar on the way out, and we all agreed, so it must be true.