The Phoenix Network:
 
 
 
About  |  Advertise
Adult  |  Moonsigns  |  Band Guide  |  Blogs  |  In Pictures
 
Features  |  Reviews
FIND MOVIES
Find a Movie
Movie List
Loading ...
or
Find Theaters and Movie Times
or
Search Movies
FallGuide2009

When Do We Eat?

Hollywood's first Seder
By MATT ASHARE  |  April 19, 2006
2.0 2.0 Stars
WHEN DO WE EAT?: It's a Passover miracle!Until now, Hollywood has never tackled a Passover Seder. The meal is meant to be a highly organized affair (“seder” means “order” in Hebrew), scripted by a book (the Haggadah) that tells the ancient story with a little help from four questions, four cups of wine, a bunch of songs, and an unlimited supply of unleavened bread. When Do We Eat? — the implied fifth question — is also the title of Salvador Litvak’s predictable Passover farce. The Stuckermans exhibit more dysfunctions than a whole month of Dr. Phil. Repressed dad (Michael Lerner) makes his fortune manufacturing Christmas ornaments. His father (Jack Klugman), a Holocaust survivor, keeps a suitcase packed “just in case.” Then there are the kids: Nikki the sex therapist, Zeke the stoner, Lionel the autistic savant, Jennifer the lesbian from a previous marriage, and the newly Hassidic Ethan, whose incestuous feelings for first-cousin-once-removed Vanessa aren’t exactly unrequited. Not enough grist for the humor mill? Litvak throws a tab of ecstasy in dad’s antacid cocktail, crosses his fingers, and prays for comedy to ensue. Thanks to a competent cast and brisk pacing, he’s rewarded just often enough for this not to be a straight-to-video release — a Passover miracle of sorts.
Related: Feasts and fasts, America Blows, A taste of Tapeo, More more >
  Topics: Reviews , Culture and Lifestyle, Food and Cooking, Ethnic Cuisines,  More more >
  • Share:
  • Share this entry with Facebook
  • Share this entry with Digg
  • Share this entry with Delicious
  • RSS feed
  • Email this article to a friend
  • Print this article
Comments

ARTICLES BY MATT ASHARE
Share this entry with Delicious
  •   SEND IN THE CLOWNS  |  July 02, 2009
    The New York Post got to resurrect its priceless "Wacko Jacko" headline. Barbara Walters scored Super Bowl-level ratings without having to lift a pretty little finger. And Michael Jackson, well, no matter how you slice it, he got screwed royally.
  •   ARRESTING DEVELOPMENTS  |  September 16, 2008
    Lack of talent, charisma, and/or personality can prevent a good band from achieving greatness — but too much of a good thing can also be a problem.
  •   ROCK THERAPIES  |  July 22, 2008
    A little over four years ago, the Boston music scene lost one of its cuter couples when singer-songwriter Blake Hazard and guitarist/producer John Dragonetti left town for LA.
  •   FORTUNATE ONE  |  July 07, 2008
    It was no surprise to find Chris Brokaw in Hawaii last week, just two Saturdays before he’s due back in Cambridge to pull a double shift upstairs at the Middle East.
  •   BOSTON MUSIC NEWS: JULY 11, 2008  |  July 08, 2008
    The New Year, a band the Kadanes started with Chris Brokaw on drums a decade ago, are still a going concern.

 See all articles by: MATT ASHARE

MOST POPULAR
RSS Feed of for the most popular articles
 Most Viewed   Most Emailed 



  |  Sign In  |  Register
 
thePhoenix.com:
Phoenix Media/Communications Group:
TODAY'S FEATURED ADVERTISERS
Copyright © 2009 The Phoenix Media/Communications Group