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.