Menashe

Performed almost entirely in Yiddish, Joshua Z Weinstein’s film is the multi-layered story of Menashe (Menashe Lustig), a well-meaning and kind but hapless and clumsy individual who is trying to juggle his religion, his son, bereavement, and a job.

Menashe is a member of the Hasidic Jewish community in Borough Park, New York, and as such bound by a number of strict customs and traditions. Recently bereaved he is not allowed to look after his son Rieven (Ruben Niborski), until he is remarried, though he has limited access to him while he is living with his uncle Eizik (Yoel Weisshaus) and his family.

He wants full custody, but the Rabbi (Meyer Schwartz) is bound by tradition, and there are some questions about Menashe’s ability to look after his son anyway. He’s routinely late for work and prone to accidents as when he leaves the doors of a van unsecured and the load is lost while he’s driving.

He’s also less than interested in getting re-married, and on an arranged date with a widow they find they are bound by tradition but have little else in common. It’s a disaster.

Pressing on him at almost every step is Eizik, sticking to the dogma of his faith at the same time making clear his personal contempt for Menashe. Deciding to try to get some self-respect back Menashe says that the memorial will be at his flat, as is the tradition, not Eizik’s house. Needless to say it doesn’t quite go to plan.

This is a wonderful film written by Joshua Z Weinstein, Alex Lipschultz and Musa Syeed who subtly, respectfully and wittily delve into a community that is generally very wary of outsiders. Weinstein directs the cast – who are excellent - with an observational, almost documentary style and what we see are, yes, very devout people who also happen to have jobs, foibles and much of the same pressures as anyone else. The relationship between Menashe and Rieven is incredibly touching and the deep love they have for each other is beautifully rendered.

What the writers also blend in are nuggets of dissent from the orthodox. Menashe doesn’t wear all his traditional garments, and a mother and daughter leaving the rabbi’s office, the latter saying he can’t stop her going to college, the former declaring the idea nonsense. It’s a fascinating and touching film.