Adam Sandler once again made his movies a family affair with his new hit, “You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah.” Starring Sandler’s daughter in the leading role, the comedy follows the rocky and hilarious struggle of Stacy Friedman as she inches toward her bat mitzvah.
A bat mitzvah represents a period of spiritual maturity and accountability after a Jewish child comes of age. However, Stacy does not care about her family’s customs and religion. Instead, she focuses on throwing the biggest and most expensive party in her community.
Her plan is simple: persuade her parents to spend an outrageous amount of money and get a kiss from the cocky boy at her Hebrew school. What can go wrong? As it turns out, Stacy did not plan for her best friend to start dating her crush.
The movie revolves around Stacy’s relationship with her best friend, Lydia. The two girls grew up together and always planned on sharing a bat mitzvah party. After Lydia starts dating Stacy’s crush, Stacy decides to get revenge. She sets out on an elaborate quest to ruin Lydia’s bat mitzvah and steal Lydia’s boyfriend.
After committing several acts of revenge, Stacy recognizes how cruel she has been to her supposed “best friend.” She realizes that the purpose of a bat mitzvah is not to flaunt wealth or kiss boys but to renew her faith in God.
The movie does an amazing job of displaying the struggles of transitioning from childhood to adulthood. Like most coming-of-age dramas, the film stars a young protagonist experiencing self-growth. However, “You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah” emphasizes the influence of religion on this journey. The film focuses on the often untold stories of Jewish girls approaching their bat mitzvah.
Sunny Sandler inherited her father’s talent for acting. Her performance combined humor with relatability. Despite the film being one of her first lead roles, she held her own against the likes of Adam Sandler and Idina Menzel.
Samantha Lorraine was a hidden gem as Lydia, contrasting Sunny Sandler’s sassy Stacy. She embodied the role of a best friend who unintentionally stabs you in the back. We all had those back in high school.
While Adam Sandler did not play a major role, the audience laughed any time he appeared on screen. Idina Menzel complimented his humor perfectly while playing with his wife.
This movie may not have an Oscar-winning screenplay, but it is a great film to watch on the couch with your friends and family.
