Shiva Baby...

Chaotic. Grotesque. Ridiculous. Dramatic and eating-disorders trigger. Fulls of stereotypes played intelligently into for creating an absurd encounter. Shiva Baby, the editorial debut by Emma Seligman is all at once. 

Which does not make it as a ´bad movie´ or a ´good movie´. It´s just a matter of taste and cultural preferences to enjoy this movie or not. I´ve personally more enjoyed the grotesque framing and the magnifying ping-pong of stereotypes than any other ´normal´ parts of the story.

Danielle, the beloved daughter of a middle class modern/Reform family is attending the beginning of the shiva - according to the Jewish tradition, the seven days of mourning starting shortly after the funeral - for a person she does not know actually. There, a lot of curious aunties ready to match her - it´s not only the tradition among the Orthodox Jews, no worries - or asking about her studies and latest job offer. Also present is her sugar daddy, that he met via an online app for...sugar daddies (amazing how you can find those days everything you need online) and her oldest crush, Maya. The sugar daddy is not only a good acquaintance of her father, but also married with an entrepreneur shiksa - your stereotypical blondini with perfectly white skin and very fit and elegant - and his crying daughter (that kid crying ruined my mood, honestly, it´s the least enjoyable part of parenthood, in my humble opinion).

Played by Rachel Sennott, Danielle is sometimes too dramatic for the screen, but overall it´s the main attraction of the movie. With all the good and bads and it´s food disorder habits and her emotional up and down and first and foremost her duplicity: towards her parent, her girlfriend, her sugar daddy, herself. But, hey, honestly, who was not having his or her little dirty secrets as growing up?

Although was not terribly impressed by Shiva Baby, at least I had some good laughs and enjoyed the confusions and the dirty tricks. You don´t have to literally take my word, just make an effort to watch the movie too.