My experience as an avid cinephile is that in many cases, simply crafted independent films are often able to deliver outstanding intimacy and emotional connections with characters. When a story is told in purity and without the frills that filmmakers tend to adopt once they have a substantial budget at their fingertips, the humanity of the story shines. That is, so long as the film is well crafted. Menashe, a touching film by director Joshua Weinstein is such an example. It’s a beautiful tale about personal responsibility and how a childish man must come to terms with the circumstances of his life to be a good parent.
The titular character, Menashe is played by Menashe Lustig, in an autobiographical role. He is a Hasidic Jew, living humbly in his small inclusive community as a grocery store clerk. He’s introduced to us as a black sheep among his peers and he struggles to fit in within the strict lifestyles of his faith. Making matters more complicated for Menashe, his wife has recently died, leaving him a single father to his prepubescent son. As dictated by Hasidic law, his son must live in a two-parent household to be allowed to continue his spiritual education. Menashe has two options: remarry, or give up custody of his son to his successful and righteous brother-in-law.
At first, the movie depicts Menashe as being trapped in an antiquated cultural quagmire. He argues that there is no reason for him not to be able to raise his own son. He loves his faith and seems to do his best within his limited means to be a good Hasidic Jew, but he doesn’t want to remarry. Menashe adores his son and hates not having him home. He pleads to his Rabbi, and defends his time with his son to his brother-in-law. He sees himself as a victim and yet, as the movies reveals more and more about Menashe’s past, the audience is offered different perspective. This is a story about the coming-of-age of a man caught in arrested development.
Making the movie rich with culture is the fact that it was filmed in secret within a Hasidic community and that it is almost entirely performed in Yiddish. The audience is treated to a rare insider’s experience of a culture flourishing in old customs and religious depth. We witness religious congregations of men, singing out their prayers as they read the Torah. We see the daily rituals that affect every waking moment of Menashe’s life. And while the movie deeply honors the traditions and people who live in Hasidic communities, it respectfully nods to the fact that it is an unfair world for women. In once quick scene, a young lady is being dragged out of the Rabbi’s office by her mother, in tears because she was forbidden to go to college. This moment precedes Menashe’s meeting with the Rabbi to beg permission to keep his son at home, and in this fashion, tricks the audience to think that his people are unfair to him. In fact, the way they unveil Menashe’s true nature is clever. The filmmakers are misleading at first, making you feel indignant of the incredibly strict rules of the community. But for a man like Menashe, discipline and facing responsibility is exactly what he needs to be a good father.
Elegantly crafted and beautifully acted, Menashe is a film for those who like substance without frills. It’s a fascinating glimpse of a unique culture that thrives in the heart of metropolis. For those who like a moving film about love and the choices we must make to be a good parent, Menashe is wonderful. Check it out and let me know what you think!
Thanks for reading,
The Diva Del Mar
