TIFF 2020: Shiva Baby
tiff 2020
“Yeah daddy!” are the first words we hear slip out of Danielle’s (Rachel Sennott) mouth, but they don’t sound convincing. Max (Danny Deferrari), the man she is with, is older – not significantly, but enough for them to be in different age brackets. As she’s leaving, Max clasps an expensive silver bracelet on Danielle’s wrist. It is made abundantly clear that Danielle and Max’s relationship is transactional in nature, it is strictly sugaring. Danielle is on her way to a Shiva, a mourning observance after a Jewish funeral. She arrives late and still isn’t completely sure who died.
Family gatherings are already terrible enough as a young adult; older women constantly prodding you about your plans for the future, not understanding that young people can have untraditional careers these days. Danielle expects this; her ex-girlfriend, Maya (Molly Gordon), a close family friend, is there as well, adding a bit of more awkward tension, but Shiva Baby really goes off-kilter when Max arrives at the Shiva with his wife Kim (Dianna Agron), and even worse: they have a baby.
Writer and director Emma Seligman perfectly sets up Shiva Baby’s tense atmosphere. First, the pushy relatives, then the ex-girlfriend, and finally the sugar daddy. Everytime Danielle turns around, things gets worse. The audience’s anxiety bubbling alongside hers as she tries to hide all her secrets. Shiva Baby is claustrophobic, the film never lets up for its entire runtime – sometimes feeling in the same realm as another anxiety-ridden Jewish romp, Uncut Gems, yet it remains playful, filled with laugh out loud moments that Danielle cringe-smiles along to.
Shiva Baby exudes Jewish charm. Each of the eldery characters make their constant badgering seem like something completely normal at a funeral service. Danielle’s parents Debbie and Joel, played by Polly Draper and Fred Melamed, radiate this energy. Debbie barrages Joel about his lack of hearing and memory and tells Danielle that she’d get a boyfriend if only she wore a little bit of lipstick. She also gets worried everytime she sees her daughter with Maya. There’s some dismissals of bisexuality here, chalking up Danielle and Maya’s relationship to just a bit of experimentation. Luckily, Seligman notes that this is purely down to generational differences rather than hateful. While her mother picks up on Danielle’s discomfort, her father is oblivious; Joel chatters away with Max, even going so far as to ask him if he knows about a job Danielle could get with a publicist.
Max is the only one who knows Danielle’s secret. At first, he shares a knowing look but grows more worried the ruder Danielle becomes to his wife. Dianna Agron really shines here, she knows something is up between Danielle and Max but remains calm and piercing girlboss she is. Obviously, much of the Shiva Baby’s story is carried by Rachel Sennott. She’s been known to wreak a bit of havoc at past family gatherings, and her mother insists that she doesn’t ruin this shiva. But with everything coming crashing down around her, it’s difficult for Danielle to keep up appearances. Sennott perfectly plays Danielle, managing to emote her relentless discomfort with her efforts to stay calm. She grows more and more stressed as the shiva progresses, with only Maya to lash out at. Gordon takes the brunt of the emotional scenes, empathetic to Danielle’s feelings even though she doesn’t know what’s going on it. Danielle also makes questionable choices by slyly confronting Max in front of everyone, while taking his dismissals of her, causing the pot to bubble even more.
Shiva Baby is an absolutely hysterical Jewish queer comedy. Emma Seligman impeccably paces her film, never relenting on the tension while still filling it to the brim with laughs. It is perfectly chaotic while never being disrespectful. The ending feels a bit like a tease, it never feels like the pot runs over, but Seligman puts forth an incredible first feature. With an impressive cast led by Rachel Sennott, Shiva Baby is not a comedy to miss.