Rating summary
Movie | | 4.5 |
Video | | 4.5 |
Audio | | 5.0 |
Extras | | 3.5 |
Overall | | 4.0 |
Shiva Baby Blu-ray Movie Review
Reviewed by Brian Orndorf July 4, 2021
Emma Seligman makes an impressive filmmaking debut with “Shiva Baby,” managing to tap into a mounting sense of panic in a way that rivals
seasoned helmers. The writer/director doesn’t go big for his first feature, taking viewers into the pressure cooker environment of a funeral gathering,
with Jewish families coming together to mourn, but also catch up on gossip and personal achievements, leaving the central character to manage all
sorts of judgmental attitudes while dealing with a potentially life-changing reveal of her secretive employment. Offered a house filled with itchy
personalities, and Seligman transforms “Shiva Baby” (an adaptation of her 2018 short) into a remarkable suspense picture that’s loaded with amazing
performances and turns of plot, keeping the endeavor riveting and also darkly comedic. Seligman does a lot with very little here, showcasing a gift for
subtle behaviors and broad confrontations.
Danielle (Rachel Sennott) is a young woman without direction in her life, often supported by her loving parents, Debbie (Polly Draper) and Joel (Fred
Melamed). She’s making money as a babysitter, unwilling to map out educational plans, and she’s found easy cash as a paid girlfriend for sugar
daddies, finding a happy client in Max (Danny Defarrari), who believes Danielle is a promising student at a law school. After they meet for a morning
session, Danielle is forced to reunite with her parents for a funeral gathering, skipping the service to help ease the pain of the social situation, which
places her in a house of relatives who want to know what she’s up to. Deflecting pressure from Debbie and Joel to work connections and find a real
job, Danielle is shocked to see her longtime friend (and ex-lover), Maya (Molly Gordon), again, and she’s mortified to find Max at the event, soon
joined by his wife, Kim (Dianna Agron), and his baby.
“Shiva Baby” spends a few scenes away from the house of mourning, including an introductory moment between Danielle and Max, with the pair
stumbling through small talk after sex, also working out a payment for her services. They seem like two adults making a deal, but Seligman quickly
shatters such stability, sending Danielle to the post-funeral event, where her confidence and life choices are put under a microscope by the
mourners. She’s joined by her parents, with Debbie and Joel balancing concern and exasperation with their daughter, who’s failed to become a
traditional adult, sticking to an idealized liberal arts flight plan while her peers begin to find their footing, including Maya, who’s thriving at law
school. “Shiva Baby” arranges the players with ease, providing seeds of vulnerability and scrutiny that are grow along the way, creating a forward
momentum to the movie that makes the run time fly by.
Seligman details the battle royal nature of the gathering, sending Danielle into the middle of it all, facing interrogating mourners who want to know
more about her job, her love life, and her weight, with everyone encouraging her to eat something as waves of food make their way to the kitchen
table. “Shiva Baby” explores Danielle’s juggling of lies, doing her best to survive the event by pushing herself as a young woman with prospects,
only to hammered back down to size by her oversharing parents. Maya’s presence confuses Danielle, reuniting with the one person who really
knows her, or at least once did, and Max’s arrival pushes “Shiva Baby” into overdrive, watching as the secret sugar daddy and his paid girlfriend are
sent into a state of shock at the sight of each other, with both characters forced to scramble to help conceal their relationship. The feature winds up
wonderfully, following Danielle through the house as she’s hit from all sides, even cutting her leg in the process, searching for a way to process
everything while keeping up appearances, especially around Kim, a “shiksa” who notices such agitation.
Shiva Baby Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality
The AVC encoded image (2.39:1 aspect ratio) presentation deals with cinematography that remains in tight close-ups for lengthy periods of screen
time. Detail is excellent with facial surfaces, offering clarity on pores and fine hairs. Costuming is fibrous, and exteriors remain dimensional. Room
decoration around the house is open for study. Color is used sparingly, with the cast in black outfits walking around a white house. Street greenery is
interesting, along with food offerings and makeup. Red blood pops as intended. Lighting is also appreciable, with Danielle's descent into social
connection hell growing warmer in the third act. Delineation is satisfactory.
Shiva Baby Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality
The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix offering a dimensional understanding of scoring cues, with music offering a circular presence throughout the listening
experience. Instrumentation is crisply defined, favoring plucked and rubbed strings. Dialogue exchanges are sharp, supplying a clear understanding of
somewhat chaotic conversations and subtle emotional breakdowns. Atmospherics are mild, but room tone is present. Low-end isn't challenged.
Shiva Baby Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras
- Commentary features writer/director Emma Seligman and actors Rachel Sennott, Molly Gordon, and Polly Draper (it's not
exactly clear who's speaking, as introductions aren't made, and the commentators always talk over one another).
- Interview (36:00, HD) is a video conference discussion of "Shiva Baby" with writer/director Emma Seligman and actress
Rachel Sennott. Topics include the creation of the Herb Alpert-inspired poster and the initial concept for the film, with Seligman delving into shiva
subculture to inspire the general speed of the feature. Exploring the struggle to put the production together with very little money, Seligman offers
praise for Sennott, who was a cheerleader for the project, keeping the helmer motivated, and she lists Jewish-themed films that helped to shape the
vision of "Shiva Baby." Sennott examines her chemistry with co-star Molly Gordon, finding a supportive scene partner. Securing the endeavor's tone and
performance intensity proved to be a challenge for Seligman, who ended up with horror touches to best bring out the tension of the moment. Indie
filmmaking stories are shared, battling angry neighbors and tight household spaces, and the COVID-19 experience is assessed, with press and
premieres for the effort moving to the virtual world.
- And a Theatrical Trailer (1:57, HD) and a Red Band Trailer (1:11, HD) are included.
Shiva Baby Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation
"Shiva Baby" creates an impressively claustrophobic viewing experience, with cinematographer Maria Rusche keeping the characters in tight close-ups,
generating artful disorientation, and the screenplay does exceptionally well when dreaming up humiliations and moments of panic, tracking Danielle as
she evolves from a state of terror to something resembling empowerment. There's a grand feel for Jewish culture in the picture, handed to gifted actors
capable of finding extremity without losing humanity, with Draper outstanding as Debbie. "Shiva Baby" is refreshingly short (72 minutes before end
credits) and lacks a grand conclusion, with Seligman achieving her goals gracefully, establishing deep-seated feelings, defense mechanisms, and casual
cattiness without losing control of the effort. And she's a fine architect of anxiety, turning something as a routine as a social function into a riveting
game of psychological survival.