When Do We Eat?

First movies are by definition hit and miss. They are usually self indulgent (often justifiably so) and either modest or insane. This movie is astonishingly none of those things. The movie is a mass-appeal charmer with some real touching moments blended in with the many physical comedy bits the movie uses to elicit laughs.

The laughs come easy and the viewer forgets the movie is a debut movie, filmed on a modest budget as opposed to a Hollywood blockbuster. The effects are effective, funny and just low-tech enough to fit the visionary elements of the movie. The cast demonstrates legitimacy and insight, even in performing characters that are comically extreme and yet more than on dimensional, led by memorable performances by Michael Lerner, Max Greenfield and the venerable Jack Klugman.

It's a charming movie about a Jewish experience but really, it is one that any family gathering has elements of and thus the movie is familiar to the viewer within the first minutes. The jokes are cute, accessible, funny and insulting only to the most oversensitive among the Jewish diaspora. The few Jewish in-jokes that non-Jews would wonder about are not particularly germane to the plot, but could be tightened up in the future.

You can't fake laughter. 700 saw this movie in its opening night gala world premiere at the Palm Beach Film Festival. I laughed, they laughed and hopefully, a star is born in the creative juices percolating in Salvador Litvak's head.

I got lucky and was able to sneak into a screening in Hollywood of this yet to be released film. What a great couple of hours it was! Most indie movies today aren't worth the film they are shot on. This one is a great exception. Starting with a terrific script, great performances and direction...the film also has knock out production values including some great visual effects...it's hard to believe this film was done on such a small budget. "When Do We Eat" is very funny, painfully real and has great comedic performances by Jack Klugman, Michael Lerner , Ben Feldman, Lesley Ann Warren (as good as her performance in "Victor, Victoria") and Max Greenfield. "When Do We Eat?" should be required viewing for all indie producers and directors on how to do an indie right!

I saw this movie over the weekend at the Boston Film Festival and just loved it. It's a Seder supper that is going terribly wrong with the world's most dysfunctional family. But then it takes an unexpected turn and... well that's what makes this film so great. It's not just a run of the mill comedy. It's not predictable. It manages to surprise and delight you. Plus, it has some excellent visual effects. I laughed, I cried and in the end, found it truly heartwarming. Michael Lerner's performance brought me to tears. Lesley Ann Warren is fabulous. Jack Klugman as the crabby grandfather is excellent. Adored Shiri Appleby's performance also. I can't find anything bad to say about this film. I can't wait to see it again!!!

Very cute film! Was not sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised from start to finish. I laughed (so did the whole audience!!) - lots of great moments and lines thru the whole film. Music was fun and different but fit well. Kudos for getting Jack Klugman! I love Lesley Ann Warren & Micheal Lerner! The rest of the cast was wonderful & I look forward to seeing them in future projects. I hope this film will show the amusing, warm, loving and crazy side of being Jewish... Like most religions & cultures, we all have our nuttiness! However, anyone will be able to relate to this family and the evening they share. Great little film! I will tell others to see it!

Along with Adam Goldberg's Shaft-parody, "The Hebrew Hammer," the marvelous indie "When Do We Eat" is one of the two finest contemporary comedies with Jewish themes -- a far cry from the traditional Jewish cinema pantheon of "Fiddler," "Crossing Delancy," "Yentl" and "The Chosen." Uproariously funny, sexy and occasionally profane, yes -- but it's also deeply affectionate as "When Do We Eat" pokes fun at the righteousness of the orthodox, Passover traditions, and maddening family members from stoners to sex workers and Moshe Dayan look-a-likes. The script is sharp, the acting terrific ("Quincy" alum Jack Klugman is a riot as the Holocaust-surviving grandfather), and the hallucinogenic production values - inspired by legendary Hagadah books - is brilliant. An antidote to anyone who laments the laundering of authentic Jewish content from ostensibly Jewish TV sit-coms and films. Bravo!