Sandler keeps film in the family with uncharacteristic detour of ‘Bat Mitzvah’
Although he typically flourishes in cranking out movies with his friends, familial ties bring out the best for comedy legend Adam Sandler in his newest movie, which stars his entire family, released on August 25. You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah is packed with drama between two best friends, Stacy and Lydia.
The conflict between them begins with Lydia’s parents getting a divorce, resulting in her getting expensive clothes in order to catch the “popular girls” attention. Stacy longs to be accepted by them, so she weasels her way in through Lydia and gets invited to “the ledge,” which is the same ledge from Sandler’s movie, Grown Ups. In the heat of social acceptance, Stacy jumps off the ledge, and into the water down below, having her one moment of glory. However, it is all ruined when her pad slips loose and everyone can see it. At that moment, the kids start making fun of her. Stacy even spots her supposedly best friend, Lydia, laughing at her. The bullying stops once other girls step in to defend Stacy. Naturally, Stacy views this as a huge betrayal and things start to go downhill for these “best friends.”
Lydia starts dating Stacy’s crush, which makes her former bestie livid and unwilling to forgive, going so far as to ruin her Bat Mitzvah video, but never sending it. What’s truly appalling is that the parents are ignorant to the girls' constant fighting and avoidance of each other, up until Lydia’s Bat Mitzvah. Many people are trying to put the blame on Stacy for this, even in the movie itself, forcing her to always be the one that has to apologize even when Lydia’s truly at fault. Lydia couldn’t just stand up for her supposed best friend, but rather laughed at her and still didn’t say anything when girls that weren’t her friends stood up for her.
The overarching conflict that continues is the girls’ fight; Stacy always has to apologize, and Lydia pouts about it. There is no growth until Stacy’s Bat Mitzvah, in which she finally gets over what people think of her, except she then has to apologize to Lydia, even though it wasn’t her fault. Lydia doesn’t forgive Stacy at first, but that all changes once Stacy gives up her Bat Mitzvah party for Lydia. Stacy went above and beyond to get a friend that wasn’t that great, to forgive her.
There’s a moment in the movie where the Sandlers are in a car, when Adam pretends to spill the coffee on Jackie Sandler. This showcases the true chemistry the two share. This is something that just made the film much more believable, and inevitably made the film better as it appears to be another regular day for them.
Overall, this movie offers a breath of fresh air instead of bringing back seemingly retired ideas. This movie isn’t a remake, nor is it about heroes and villains, but it offers a heartfelt, new classic teen drama. To see the charismatic flow of comfort and chemistry within the family is truly amazing and brings a new aspect to the film industry that has been greatly lacking lately.
A-
by Ashley Schumann
Published on October 2, 2023
Oshkosh West Index volume 120 issue I