We finally have a release date for Adam Sandler’s upcoming Netflix movie,You are SO NOT invited to my bat mitzvah.” – and some very exciting first photos.
In case you haven’t heard the good word, yes, Adam Sandler is making a bat mitzvah movie for Netflix. I repeat, Adam Sandler directing a bat mitzvah movie and playing a Jewish father opposite ‘Uncut Gems’ Co-star and Jewish Mother Extraordinary Idina Menzel.
And as if that wasn’t enough (DAYENU!), the film based on the excellent 2008 novel You Are So NOT Invited to My Bat Mitzvah (which my Colleague Evelyn Frick called it “a masterpiece of its time”), which also stars Sandler’s daughter Sunny as the film’s heroine Stacy Friedman, his wife Jackie and Jewish Saturday Night Live actress Sarah Shermanjust to name a few glorious names.
For those of you who keep calendars, I would urge you to put a big star on August 25, 2023 when the film’s release date is finalized. It’s going to be a great late summer family movie night (maybe even an outdoor screening if you’re up for it!). We recommend scheduling a follow-up session.
In the first image above, we get a glimpse of the Friedman house. You can see Sunny as Stacy, with Lydia Katz (Samatha Lorraine), her friend, standing in front of her parents Bree (Menzel) and Danny (Sandler), the former donning badass Doc Martens shoes while the latter wears his Jewish dad- Basketball shorts and hokas uniform. Sitting with them are Stacy’s sister Ronnie (she has a brother in the book) and her friend Zara (Zaara Kuttemperoor). Her house is full of books, cute trinkets and crafts, including a scary cute green monster and lots of great family photos.
Courtesy of Netflix
The second photo you can see above shows Andy Goldfarb (Dylan Hoffman), Stacy’s big crush, putting on a yarmulke and chatting to an entranced Lydia while Stacy looks on scornfully. It takes place in a classroom at a Jewish day school, where discerning eyes can spot some Hamsa decorations and a few copies of the Graphic Novel Haggadah. The educational posters and neon decorations are very moving.
The film features some truly delightful portrayals of Jewish clergy (we have quite a bit to look forward to in that regard!). SNL, “Bubkis” and “Sandy Wexler” writer Dan Bulla will play Cantor Jerry, while Sarah Sherman will play Rabbi Rebecca, with the gender of the book’s male Rabbi being swapped.
Of course not real A bat mitzvah film is complete without a DJ. Actor Ido Mosseri will play DJ Schmuley. You may know him as Oori in Don’t Mess with the Zohan and as Yuri in Sandy Wexler. Personally, I adore him for his many comedic roles on Israeli shows, including Ben-Gurion in The Jews Are Coming, and as the brother of the famous Israeli children’s television host, Tal Mosseri.
Jackie Sandler, the mother of the Sandler clan, will play Gabi Rodriguez Katz, Lydia’s mother. Other incredible cast members include Jewish screen and stage legend Jackie Hoffman, Luis Guzmán, Dean Scott Vasquez (“In The Heights”) and Miya Cech (“The Darkest Minds”). There’s also an exciting cast of newcomers playing other teenagers.
Alison Peck (“Work It”) wrote the screenplay based on the book by Fiona Rosenbloom – the pen name of the author Amanda Stern. Directed by Sammi Cohen, this film will be her second feature film, following 2022’s queer teen Hulu film Crush, in which the filmmakers proved they could create engaging, funny, and relatable coming-of-age stories. can make stories.
And if that’s not enough (did I say dayenu??) The film will also be voiced by Este Haim – the famous HAIM sister band. and Amanda Yamate. What. A team.
The film was shot in Canada last summer and one of its locations was the beautiful Beth Tzedec Synagogue in Toronto. A location shoot in a synagogue simply has to please you!
Morning prayer with my friend @ravbaruch‘ Synagogue before breakfast together. Beth Tzedec looks more like a movie studio than a place of worship @Adam Sandler & @SarahKSilverman filming “You’re SO Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah” there. I can’t wait to see it! pic.twitter.com/Lf9nxTP0ys
— Richard Marceau (@richardmarceau) July 13, 2022
For those hoping to re-read the book before the movie, we have some bittersweet news. “You Are SO Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah” is not currently in print…but is A new edition will appear on July 25tha month before the film’s release.
We can’t believe that Netflix is giving us a bar/bat mitzvah movie two summers in a row (Is it time for other dayenu?) and we’re super excited to release You Are SO Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah. You’re more than welcome to talk to us about it.