An American Pickle

Herschel and Sarah Greenbaum escape 1919 Eastern Europe for America in search of a better future where they’ll be able to raise entire generations of proud Jews. Lo and behold, Herschel wakes up one hundred years later to discover his great-grandson Ben Greenbaum ̶ a slightly neurotic computer geek residing in Brooklyn. Armed with a pickle recipe and a set of traditional values, Herschel tries to survive in the 21st century and realizes that it’s not so simple, yet not too complicated. An American Pickle is an amusing comedy that perfectly balances between direct humor and sophisticated satire, while examining the borders of tolerance and political correctness. The competing plot lines between Herschel and Ben address many of today’s cultural symbols while Seth Rogen, in a double main role, gives the film a perfect dose of humanity and contempt. The enjoyable result is a sweet and sour contemporary film that is not afraid to address the question of what it means to be Jewish today.