[yasr_overall_rating]
Within Brooklyn’s ultra-orthodox Jewish community, a widower battles for custody of his son. A tender drama performed entirely in Yiddish, the film intimately explores the nature of faith and the price of parenthood.
Joshua Weinstein tackled a film about the secretive Hasidic Jews in Brooklyn, New York titled “Menashe” after the main character. I am not sure what outcome he was trying to produce or what message he wanted to leave the world with about this strict, religious culture, but I failed to find any commonalities to help understand these reclusive people. I hoped to walk away from this movie with a better understanding of the culture, which I did. However, the understanding provided has pushed me even farther away from empathizing with this group. Finding compassion for Menashe, the main character, is easy, despite his hapless tendencies. Was the goal to find compassion for one man or for the religion?
Menashe’s (Menashe Lustig) wife died a year ago, leaving him with a young son to raise alone. As his home is now broken, because he does not have a wife, Menashe must let his brother-in-law Eizik (Yoel Weisshaus) raise his son Rieven (Ruben Niborski). Because Menashe can now only provide his child with a broken home, Hasidic law requires the child to live in a two-parent house in order to go to school. Menashe works at a grocery store while fighting his brother-in-law and the Ruv, or rabbi and dynastic leader, for permission to care for his child. The problem is, Menashe cannot get out of his own way. He bumbles his way through life. First arguing with his wife for not producing lots of babies in a culture where marrying and procreating are the goal. Even Menashe’s tiny, bare apartment emphasizes his inability to excel at life. Rieven loves his father and wants to spend time with him but can only tolerate so many mistakes including too much alcohol.
With few prospects for growth, Eizik and the other men in the community do not believe Menashe will be able to find a new wife and live a prosperous life worthy of raising a child. But Menashe does not want another wife, he just wants his son and to try to prove to the world, he can take care of himself. Clearly, he cannot take care of himself, which does not stop him from trying. He takes on the challenge of hosting his late wife’s memorial despite Eizik’s demand to take on this task along with raising Rieven. Menashe does not back down and almost sets his apartment on fire. He finally understands life is better as a community even if the community does not respect him.
Very few women are in the film despite the absence of Leah, Menashe’s wife, being one of the main themes. Women are more background noise, highlighting the extreme Orthodox Jewish community and the value they place on their wives and sisters. Eizik clearly cared for his sister, as he constantly belittles Menashe for the terrible husband he was and how poorly he cared for Leah. On a matchmaker date to gain a wife, the woman herself seems despondent with the lack of options forced by the rigorous rules.
What is clear is how the community is run. The Rabbi runs the show, making decisions that should be left to individuals. The clothing alone is stifling, especially for hot New York summers, full black suits including a top hat and religious clothes under their button up shirts. Singing is a large part of worship, and the only lively activity as everyone seems to be walking as if they are attending a funeral. Law overrides everything, even emotions.
While “Menashe” elicits emotions from the viewers, they were probably not the emotions intended. The lack of empathy from Menashe’s community, especially from Eizik, for the loss of his wife and essentially his child, elicits anger. Menashe himself stumbles from one mistake to another, which is easy to empathize with. Who has not made a mistake or a host of them in short span of time? Loss and grief can turn the world upside down and send common sense out the window. Rieven manages to stay afloat and prove himself strong despite his family fighting over him and the loss of both of his parents.
“Menashe” is filmed almost entirely in Yiddish, so be prepared for subtitles. The language is an odd mix of Hebrew and German, which is almost beautiful in its complexity. What I do love about the movie is Menashe’s desire to improve, despite how many mistakes he has made. This is the thought I will take from this movie, to move past mistakes. To keep working to keep your child despite resistance from those you thought loved you. I cannot cope with a community so dispassionate to the losses and mistakes in life. The simplicity of the movie was agreeable and followed the story closely without straying from the plot; maybe this too was to emphasize the rigidity of the Hasidic culture.
In select theaters September 1st
