You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah Review
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
The trailer for “You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah” gives the whole story away; if you’ve seen it, you know what to expect. Although, I was hoping for a slightly funnier film, but it turned out to be like most high-school comedies, but with 13-year-olds instead of older teenagers. Which isn’t a good thing.
Directed by Sammi Cohen and written by Alison Peck and Fiona Rosenbloom, “You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah” follows Stacy Friedman (Sunny Sandler), who’s been planning to throw the most epic Bat Mitzvah party and win over her crush, Andy Goldfarb (Dylan Hoffman). However, her plans are ruined when she has a fallout with her best friend, Lydia (Samantha Lorraine). To make things worse, Lydia starts dating Andy. The whole Bat Mizvah plot is very similar to Netflix’s “13: The Musical”, which was more fun due to the songs and dance.
“You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah” features the entire Sandler family. Adam Sandler portrays Danny Friedman, the onscreen father to both of his daughters, Sunny and Sadie Sandler who play sisters Stacy and Ronnie, respectively. Adam’s wife, Jackie Sandler, takes on the role of Lydia’s mother, Gabi. They should’ve just cast Jackie as Mrs. Friedman, given that both Sunny and Sadie resemble her a lot. While the cast delivers what is asked of them, the writing lacked imagination and didn’t evoke enough laughs for a comedy film. The infusion of Jewish customs, traditions and beliefs was a nice cultural touch to the story and the kids are show attending Sunday Hebrew school to learn more about their religion and ancestors.
Sunny Sandler delivers an entertaining performance as the teen protagonist, Stacy, who is infatuated with her crush and attempts to fit in with the “cool” kids. However, she didn’t quite fit the profile of the “not-so-popular kid”, as she is easily the most attractive girl in her class. Her appearance reminded me a lot of actresses Liv Tyler and Camila Morrone from “Daisy Jones and the Six,” both of whom are stunning women. Samantha Lorraine was adorable as Stacy’s best-friend Lydia, but the character is treated terribly throughout the story. Adam Sandler and the older actors step back graciously to let the younger cast shine. Sadie Sandler in her smaller part as the older practical sister who is constantly watching horror movies with her best-friend Zaara (Zaara Kuttemperoor) had the most laid-back and likable character.
Even though the primary theme is supposed to be about the importance of friendships, family and traditions over passing crushes, the execution tells a different story. For example, Stacey doesn’t think twice before spreading a nasty false rumors about her childhood best-friend and breaking her heart. Basically, “You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah” was just about a self-centered teen trying to hard to impress the boy she likes, betray her best-friend, treat everybody terribly and in the end getting away with all of it just because of one kind act. If only one big party could fix everything in real life too.
The musical score is packed with viral pop hits that social media users would have encountered countless times on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and the likes. The cinematography is bright, snazzy and colorful, just like most Netflix offerings in the genre (think “XO, Kitty”), so most of it is visually quite pleasing. The wardrobe of the kids is very pretty for most parts, but simultaneously ridiculous, because some of it is too expensive and the teens drop names of designers like they are models. I really appreciated a scene in which Stacey’s mother prevents her from purchasing an expensive dress, stating that it costs more than their house, and instead selects a more affordable option. However, the intended lesson in frugality is compromised when the mom later presents the pricey dress as a gift to Stacey.
If thirteen-year-olds today really are like the kids in “You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah”, it’s kind of worrying. On the other hand, if the portrayal is far from reality, then it’s even more problematic to witness adult writers peddling narratives that can twist teen viewers’ perception of crushes, clothes and values. Despite all the plot problems, Sunny Sandler and Samantha Lorraine deliver endearing performances and have some great supportive onscreen parents. For those who can just oversee all its flaws, it movie might prove to be fun mindless watch for the weekend.
You can stream the film on Netflix.
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