‘Between the Temples’ Review: Jason Schwartzman and Carol Kane Lead a Sharply Comedic Look at Faith and Vulnerability

Sundance 2024: Nathan Silver’s comedy mixes the surreal with the relatable

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"Between the Temples" (Photo by Sean Price Williams, courtesy of Sundance)

“We think you should start seeing a doctor,” is one of the earliest lines uttered to the quiet, grieving Ben (Jason Schwartzman), and the hilarity of its layered and misunderstood meaning, “see” as in “date” and “doctor” as in “plastic surgeon,” reveal director Nathan Silver’s playfully claustrophobic exploration of family loved, lost, found, and tolerated in the Sundance feature “Between the Temples.”

“Between the Temples” stunningly couples its 16mm cinematography with tight close-ups, overlapping dialogue, and sharp comedic timing to present an intimately comical portrait of anguish amidst faith. Co-written with C. Mason Wells, cantor Ben reconnects with his former music teacher Carla (Carol Kane) as each one offers the other a chance at deeper relationships: Ben to humanity and Carol to spirituality.

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