Suzie Gold

This is quite an entertaining little film, very much in the vein of 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding'. Like that hit movie, it deals with family and cultural expectations when it comes to marriage. Summer Phoenix stars as Suzie Gold, a true romantic who wants to marry for love rather than prestige.

I laughed a lot at the start of the film. A fine ensemble cast includes Miriam Karlin, Frances Barber and Stanley Townsend.

What lets the film down, in my opinion, is the total lack of chemistry between Ms Phoenix and Leo Gregory as Darren, the love of Suzie's life. You just don't believe that these two are crazy about each other which is a shame as it's otherwise quite fun.

The story of a Jewish girl who comes from a conservative family - and wants to brake free. But Not your stereotypical Jewish family - one memorable scene is in which the pushy mother Yells at rebellious son (who "thinks hes black" by Suzan - Golden comments) and start throwing his beloved tapes out the window. After acting totally insane she smiles to a next door neighbor and says "cids ey?" - cracked me up. The mom is superb at being a "caracter". Another scene the rebellious son doesn't want to go to a religious ceremony, because he "dosen't even believe in god" and the mother answers - whats that has to do with it.. ha ha. It's not so "Jewish" film if you can read between the lines you can see an accurate portrayal of hypocrisy within a "riligiose" family - maybe looking OK for the neighbors isn't the most important thing - Everyone have their dirty little secrets - and that's only humane. if you get the humor, you'll enjoy.

This is very much a smilar story to 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding', but nevertheless was very fun to watch. There was great chemistry between the actors and even though it was very funny I have to say I do prefer 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding'. That is just a classic!

It revolves aroung a young Jewish girl who, like 'Toula Portakalos', wants to marry for love. It will have you laughing, I have to say, and I think us brits have done a good job in making the film. It is almost as good.

This will have many nominations for awards in my opinion, but the letdown was actually the lack of chemistry between the two main actors, but all in all, very enjoyable. :)

I actually quite liked this film. It wasn't so over the top like "My big fat Greek wedding" a little less subtle in its approach . Yes, there are some stereotypes, but they keep the audience engaged and interested.

Summer Phoenixs' performance as the title character is incredibly impressive. Her accent is believable and she manages to pull of a few laughs as her character does, at times, make a fool of herself. This lovelorn character narrates the film connecting her even more with the audience and explaining some of the Jewish rituals.

A enjoyable film, even for those who aren't Jewish.

4/5 stars

I was very tempted to give it 1 star, but since I remember smiling once or twice during this alleged comedy, I thought I'd be lenient. There were one or two meaningful observations in this film (like the little brother who smoked marijuana and thought he was a gangster), but on the whole, the portrayal of north London Jewish life had no depth whatsoever. The script sounded as though it had been written by a fourteen year old for a religious studies assignment. I cringe when I think back to the scene in which they're having shabbat dinner at the start of the film, having one of the most contrived, would-never-sound-like-that-in-real-life debates. I won't even begin to go into the appalling chemistry between suzie and her apparent soulmate, or the pathetic caricatures that were her parents and friends. This film was full of stereotypes but had none of the warmth and likability that you had in my big fat Greek wedding, which was itself not lacking in stereotyping. Simplifying characters and family dynamics only works when there's an underlying truth, warmth and sincerity to it. Suzie Gold contained all the negative and un-insightful stereotypes of Jewish life but was too simply and narrowly conceived to portray the fundamental redeeming features of the Jewish family that have been able to sustain it. The love, warmth, and well-intentioned overbearingness of my big fat Greek wedding, that made it so enjoyable, were sorely missing from suzie gold.