Review: ‘The Pickle Recipe’ Is a Sweet and Sour Caper
THE PICKLE RECIPE – Directed by Michael Manasseri
Review by By
Lynn Cohen as the formula-guarding Rose in “The Pickle Recipe.” Credit Adopt Films
The pickles in “The Pickle Recipe” apparently have quite a kick. The movie, though, is pretty flavorless.
Joey (Jon Dore) is a struggling M.C. working the bar mitzvah circuit who has a sudden need for money after a fire destroys his equipment. So he conspires with an uncle, Morty (David Paymer), to capitalize on Joey’s grandmother’s legendary pickle recipe. His biggest obstacle is persuading her to give him the recipe, which she guards so closely that she won’t let anyone else in the kitchen of her popular Detroit deli during her pickle-making sessions.
Hilarity is supposed to ensue, but the script, by Sheldon Cohn and Gary Wolfson, is tepid stuff, and Michael Manasseri, the director, doesn’t find a way to enliven it. The highlights of the film are two actresses on opposite ends of the age spectrum: Lynn Cohen as Rose, that recipe-guarding grandma, and Taylor Groothuis, who plays Joey’s bat-mitzvah-aged daughter. The child’s impending ceremony is contributing to Joey’s need for money, but, unfortunately, Ms. Groothuis isn’t around much. And Ms. Cohen, a reliable actress with fine comic instincts, is saddled with labored gags that include outing a fake rabbi (Eric Edelstein) by getting a glimpse of his penis.
It’s all harmless enough, and as movies about pickles go, it’s probably a Top 10 contender. Just don’t expect to be laughing out loud much.
NEIL GENZLINGER
“The Pickle Recipe” is rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned) for rude humor.
The Pickle Recipe
- Director Michael Manasseri
- Writers Sheldon Cohn, Gary Wolfson
- Stars Jon Dore, Lynn Cohen, Miriam Lee,David Paymer, Eric Edelstein
- Rating
- Running Time 1h 37m
- Genre Comedy
Movie data powered by IMDb.com
Last updated: Nov 7, 2016
