No. 58. (2020) AN AMERICAN PICKLE. Sept. 28th.

 

Film No. 58 (2020) October 30th.  3:10 PM  FENWICK 3 CINEMAS  Esperance.                        

"You have no wife, no children, no friends and no life, you need help" (Herschel tell Ben there could be more to his small apartment based life).

Seth Rogan has created a film that promised so much and delivered just a little. An American Pickle was made by Rogan for HBOMax so it was destined for the small screen and it plays that way. Perhaps, because I saw AAP on the big screen, I expected more. But the first 15 minutes are so impressive, small screen or not, I really do think Pickle could have been much better. Never the less, Seth Rogan fans, and there are plenty of those, will enjoy the fare that is American Pickle. 

What is it about? Well, we meet a Jew, Herschel Greenbaum in his oppressed home state, in 1919, wanting to make a better life for his family. Newly married to Sarah (Sarah Snook) they emigrate to New York to realize their dreams, only Herschel's first job, in a pickle factory lands him in a brine that preserves him for 100 years. He wakes, and turns his attention to finding a relative, Ben Greenbaum, also played by Seth Rogan. Now you're thinking, this could be quite interesting. Fun maybe, as Rogan does his thing as brotherly whacky types! No, it's here that it fizzes.  

For a moment there is a touch of the Peter Sellers and Being There. The simplicity of aged values in the modern world. But that doesn't develop. Then there is the test of wills as each tries to out do each other with their contrasting skills. That dies as Ben gets nasty, a diversion the screenplay didn't need to take. We know they're going to kiss and make-up in the end, but it's all too convenient and unclever for my liking. It's a pity the writing couldn't have found a way to sneak Sarah Snook back on screen. Snook in period clobber then in modern day garb with a script to match would have livened things up surely. 

Hey, plenty of people are liking it. Mostly in the U.S. watching on the small screen, but that was the audience Rogan and the HBOMax executives were aiming at. I should have waited for the same experience perhaps, but I doubt it would have improved my experience. 7GUMS.