User reviews

Stars leslie warren and jack klugman. The stuckman family gets together for seder. This year, zeke slips a little ecstasy into dad's drink (michael lerner, nominated for barton fink). The family is an interesting mix, so everyone has their own level of devotion to the rules. One of the sons wants to follow each step exactly, but most of the family wants to eat. Ira has decided this will be the fastest seder ever. It's probably a smidge sacrilegious, but it's fun. There are ups, downs, rainstorms. Happy stories, sad stories. It's a journey. Very well done! Directed by sal litvak. Has only done a few things. This won a bunch of film fest awards.

This is possibly the worst movie since Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton graced the screen in "The Sandpiper." What a mess! It has a politically correct roundup masquerading as Passover celebrants. You have your lesbian and her Afro-American lover; you have your Hasid; you have your flighty mother; you have your wayward daughter; you have your handicapped child; you have your Holocaust survivor; and you have your bellowing businessman...You get the idea.

Jack Klugman is the best thing in this movie but even he can't elevate the maudlin, pointless, 'stoopid' script. Funny to see Klugman in this piece of crap because I recall him in "Goodbye Columbus," the movie version of Philip Roth's novel, in which Klugman played father to a luminous Ali McGraw. That movie made me uncomfortable, because it rang true. This is anything but true. "When Do We Eat" just made me cringe with embarrassment.

The worst thing about this movie is that the filmmakers (and I use that term very loosely in this case) actually go "art-y" at various times; attempting to equate 40 years in the desert and the Passover saga with the journey of these execrable people. They should live so long!

First movies are by definition hit and miss. They are usually self indulgent (often justifiably so) and either modest or insane. This movie is astonishingly none of those things. The movie is a mass-appeal charmer with some real touching moments blended in with the many physical comedy bits the movie uses to elicit laughs.

The laughs come easy and the viewer forgets the movie is a debut movie, filmed on a modest budget as opposed to a Hollywood blockbuster. The effects are effective, funny and just low-tech enough to fit the visionary elements of the movie. The cast demonstrates legitimacy and insight, even in performing characters that are comically extreme and yet more than on dimensional, led by memorable performances by Michael Lerner, Max Greenfield and the venerable Jack Klugman.

It's a charming movie about a Jewish experience but really, it is one that any family gathering has elements of and thus the movie is familiar to the viewer within the first minutes. The jokes are cute, accessible, funny and insulting only to the most oversensitive among the Jewish diaspora. The few Jewish in-jokes that non-Jews would wonder about are not particularly germane to the plot, but could be tightened up in the future.

You can't fake laughter. 700 saw this movie in its opening night gala world premiere at the Palm Beach Film Festival. I laughed, they laughed and hopefully, a star is born in the creative juices percolating in Salvador Litvak's head.

With so many praising reviews, this must be fantastic movie. Right? Wrong. I have no clue why almost every reviewer rewards this movie with a 9/10 or 10/10. If this is one of the best movies you guys ever saw, then please go watch some real movies.

I expect to actually laugh or at least have some smiles when watching a comedy. About 40 minutes into the movie I realized I hadn't even smiled once. Where are the jokes? I have a very broad taste in humor and like both sophisticated and lame jokes, but I had a really hard time trying to find any jokes in 'Where do we eat'. Of course, after those 40 minutes I couldn't stand it any longer and switched it off, so maybe the last 50 minutes really explode from all the fun.

It didn't seem that the movie is really bad, it's just not funny. Pitch this as a family drama and it might be sort of acceptable. As a comedy, I can't rate it over 4/10.

A good movie about Jews for non-Jews. This movie uses humor raw, sophisticated, slapstick to detoxify Jewish stereotypes. It shows the origin of some of these stereotypes in easily understood terms: fear, lust, resentment of parents; same as everybody else. The density of jokes per minute is enormous. Sometimes two and three at a time. There is something to offend every Jew - initially. But the truth in the criticism is evident too.

Great acting performances. The actors are required to simulate so many intense emotions that a mediocre cast would have killed the movie.

Because the movie is so funny it can stand on its own as a comedy but I think Jews will come out of it happier that they are Jews and non-Jews will come out of it wanting to know Jews.

Martinus BigZ has it right. I don't know who these people are who are writing such glowing reviews of such a crappy movie, but they must have seen a different movie than I did. I'm as Jewish as they come and I think I laughed maybe two times throughout what was supposed to be a laugh a minute movie. I stayed all the way to the end, unfortunately, and what was a boring beginning turned into a sappy, predictable tear-jerker at the end. The only funny part was the Black girl saying "Praise the Lord" and "Halleluyah!", the rest was trite, predictable and worst of all, boring. I see just about every Jewish movie that comes out and I had never saw this one before, so I was wondering why I had never heard anything about it. Now I know why, it was so bad it must have gone straight to video. Maybe I'm too low-brow for you guys, because I liked "Meet The Fokkers", I thought that was a funny movie. This one had me looking at my watch over and over again wondering when it would ever end.

If this is your "typical" Jewish family getting together for a Seder, then I am glad my family isn't "typical". This movie was an excuse to show neurotic Jewish people sitting around table and they saved it to show at Passover. My friends and I are all Jewish and we saw nothing we could relate to in the movie. Period. Even if the throw the word "matzoh" around another 100 times, and throw in some Biblical passages about Elijah, this movie does NOT represent anyone or anything I have ever seen at a Seder. C'mon folks. Please save your money and see something you can stay awake to. I know I couldn't. The only redeeming aspect of this movie is the occasionally whimsical Klezmer music combined with some Rasta. I read all the reviews before I went to see it and thought I was going to be entertained. Instead, I took a nap and for that, I didn't have to spend money in the middle of the afternoon. Attend a real Seder. This (to me) was nothing but slapstick with a Haggadah thrown in for good measure. Terrible.

The central themes are universal (dysfunctional family, holidays gone wrong), but the story unfolds in the unique setting of a passover dinner--which I believe is a movie first. The filmmakers wisely put a non-Jew at the table to make us non-Jews feel at home. The characters are well-developed and convincing--a real feat in a story about a family that includes a sex surrogate, an autistic teen, a Hasidic Jew, a lesbian half-sister, and a stoner. Fantastic cast. Michael Lerner is wonderful as the father. He plays a wide emotional range very convincingly. Why hasn't this guy been in more great roles? This film really gives him a chance to shine. Ben Feldman, Cynda Williams and Meredith Scott Lynn also give great performances. Stunning visual effects and a great soundtrack.

I saw this movie over the weekend at the Boston Film Festival and just loved it. It's a Seder supper that is going terribly wrong with the world's most dysfunctional family. But then it takes an unexpected turn and... well that's what makes this film so great. It's not just a run of the mill comedy. It's not predictable. It manages to surprise and delight you. Plus, it has some excellent visual effects. I laughed, I cried and in the end, found it truly heartwarming. Michael Lerner's performance brought me to tears. Lesley Ann Warren is fabulous. Jack Klugman as the crabby grandfather is excellent. Adored Shiri Appleby's performance also. I can't find anything bad to say about this film. I can't wait to see it again!!!

Going in, I wrongly assumed "When Do We Eat? " to be a comedy. Unfoftunately there were zero laughs to be had, similar to "Eulogy", another failed family gathering film. Simply presenting a dysfunctional family of "surprise lesbians", a druggie son, a sex therapist daughter, a fake autistic, a one eyed lover, a Rabbi in training, and a grandfather who carries a suitcase wherever he goes, does not constitute comedy. If you want to see two good dysfunctional family comedies, check out "The Royal Tennenbaums" and "Flirting With Disaster", but skip this one for sure .......................................................... - MERK

Ah, Passover! The holiday that nearly every Jewish family celebrates in one form or another--including, unfortunately, the Stuckmans. The characters are a silly mishmash of stereotypes--the paranoid Holocaust survivor, the neurotic, money-obsessed uber-assimilated (Dad makes Christmas ornaments), the neurotic, resentful Jewish mother, the "born-again" schnorring Hasid brother (whose ethics are less than sterling when it comes to his mom's glamorous cousin), the slut sister, the resentful lesbian half-sister and her black lover, and just for kicks, the secular, anti-religion Israeli guest . Add in the junkie, the idiot savant (more savant than idiot) and a tab of Ecstasy slipped into Dad's antacid, and we're on a strange, unenlightening trip through flashbacks and hallucinations that will leave you checking your watch long before the meal is served. The Four Questions, Stuckman-style 1. Who were the three bearded dudes supposed to represent? 2. Was it necessary for the black character to bring in Jesus every fifth scene? If the Hasisdic brother could bring his own mezuzah, why didn't he just bring the matzah? 4. And, last but not least, why did the "world's fastest Seder" feel longer than the whole eight-day holiday?

Very cute film! Was not sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised from start to finish. I laughed (so did the whole audience!!) - lots of great moments and lines thru the whole film. Music was fun and different but fit well. Kudos for getting Jack Klugman! I love Lesley Ann Warren & Micheal Lerner! The rest of the cast was wonderful & I look forward to seeing them in future projects. I hope this film will show the amusing, warm, loving and crazy side of being Jewish... Like most religions & cultures, we all have our nuttiness! However, anyone will be able to relate to this family and the evening they share. Great little film! I will tell others to see it!

Creative, well-done, entertaining, funny, real! The acting is well done. It's a little silly, making it almost a parody. It's going to appeal to everyone with a crazy family. Great looking girls. Awesome music. Can't wait for soundtrack. Won't win an Oscar but'll make you laugh. Crazy characters. A little over the top. Keeps you interested. Feel good movie. Good date movie. Interesting animations. Spiritually realistic. Demonstrates struggle of good vs evil in everyone... Even those aspiring for holiness. Music captures moods perfectly. Considering most of film shot in small space, not claustrophobic. Some are going to find it heresy, others will be awakened spiritually.

Finally--a true-Jew sitcom made into a feature film. Salvador Litvak has taken Salvador Dali's acid trip painting "The Last Supper" and made it into a heimish, full-length film. Think "The Hebrew Hammer", but for Pesach instead of Chanukkah. "When Do We Eat?" has all the essential elements and then some. Part comedy and part tearjerker, part ultra-Orthodox and part porno. A neurotic, Jewish Beverly Hills family--think "Clueless"--making shalom, but with spirituality and holiness. A cathartic message of repentance and spiritual return for all time. And Moses' cameo hallucination role was played by a Moses of our time, Rabbi Shlomo Schwartz.

'When Do We Eat?' has what all the great comedy films have, at least in my opinion...a great ensemble cast. That's what really works in great situation comedy, be it a theatrical film or in television. You can visit the When Do We Eat web site for a great trailer, so I won't go into the details or premise of the film, as I'm sure many others here have. Suffice to say, if you want great laughs, and a 'go away feeling good' film go and see When Do We Eat. Oh (minor spoiler), loved the 'halucination' scenes and oh yeah great sound track! As I think someone else said, it was good to see 'ol Jack Klugman gravely voice and all. He still has it!

This movie is an innovative and witty take on a dysfunctional family dinner. Much more clever and sharp than other films dealing with similar topics (i.e., Meet the Fockers, My Big Fat Greek Wedding). In some ways, the Stuckman family dinner takes similar turns to those in the Danish film Celebration. However, the continuous humor makes When Do We Eat much less heavy. The writing is superb and keeps the audience tuned in and laughing throughout the movie. What I liked the most is that the filmmakers didn't condescend to the audience but rather kept the humor fresh. This movie should appeal to people from all backgrounds who appreciate original comedy.

Along with Adam Goldberg's Shaft-parody, "The Hebrew Hammer," the marvelous indie "When Do We Eat" is one of the two finest contemporary comedies with Jewish themes -- a far cry from the traditional Jewish cinema pantheon of "Fiddler," "Crossing Delancy," "Yentl" and "The Chosen." Uproariously funny, sexy and occasionally profane, yes -- but it's also deeply affectionate as "When Do We Eat" pokes fun at the righteousness of the orthodox, Passover traditions, and maddening family members from stoners to sex workers and Moshe Dayan look-a-likes. The script is sharp, the acting terrific ("Quincy" alum Jack Klugman is a riot as the Holocaust-surviving grandfather), and the hallucinogenic production values - inspired by legendary Hagadah books - is brilliant. An antidote to anyone who laments the laundering of authentic Jewish content from ostensibly Jewish TV sit-coms and films. Bravo!

OK Here is a little synopsis they had about When Do We Eat in the booklets we received at the Boston Film Festival.

"When Do We Eat? is the story of the "Worlds fastest Passover Seder" gone horribly awry. It's about an old school dad who's as tough on his son as his father is on him. On this night, however, one of the boys slips dad a does of LSD in order "to give him a new perspective." Meanwhile, Mom brings a handsome stranger to dinner and the kids take sides. By the end of the night, however,Dad's visions turn him into a modern day Moses intent on leading his hungry group to the promise land of family forgiveness. Of course they are all stubborn, it would be easier to part the Red Sea."

I found the movie to be hysterical and very touching as well. The special effects were stunning and the director Salvador Litvar even said they wanted to do something different when it came to the special effects even though it cost a lot he felt they were worth it. All of the music in the film is very interesting as well. It is all traditional Hebrew music but has a modern sound to them.

One of the reason why the director Salvador Litvar wanted to do this movie is because it was a type of movie that has never been done before and how he was scared at first being it dealt with religion and he was saying how religion and Hollywood don't really mix but he was glad he took the challenge and so far everyone who has seen the film has loved it. He also wanted to show how important traditions are in families no matter what your cultural back ground or religious tradition is but how these traditions help us remember where we came from and bind us as a family.

Another element that helped was that many of the actors and actresses in the movie were of the Jewish tradition so they could relate to the back ground of the film. The director said at one point the family sings together and how it was very moving because it wasn't the family singing it was the whole cast and how much they all bounded over this film. He was very moved and touched with how everyone was really excited about the project and how it came out.

He even commented on how they had so many talented actresses try out for the part of Nikkie that Shiri Appleby played. He said When Shiri Appleby tried out there was something unique about her and she played the character in a very different way then what they were expecting.

They thought Shiri Appleby did an excellent job and another factor that was in her favor was she really could really relate to the material being she is Jewish and grew up with the tradition of Passover. Over all Shiri Appleby's performance was excellent! She is a very talented Actress and her talent really shinned through in this film.

Over all the movie was wonderful. It is coming out to theaters in either March or April of this year. So look for it they made it in the tradition of my Big Fat Greek Wedding so right away you know it has to be good. I am so happy I got to see this movie. It was great and I enjoyed it very much!

Hope this review helps. Love, Erin

Great soundtrack and great ensemble cast. All the characters in this dysfunctional family become sympathetic and "somewhat" likable by the end of the film. Director creates an interesting visual look with unusual special effects. Plot and character twists keep viewers guessing. Tension and action all compressed into one Passover night will be moving for viewers of all generations. Jack Klugman was a pleasure to see again, also Lelsey Ann Warren and Michael Lerner. Audience was laughing out loud at parts and obviously touched by other scenes. Mix of music was fascinating - old Jewsih favorites with a hip-hop and/or reggae beat and classical music. Smartly done!

When do we eat is spectacular. I left this movie immediately wanting to see it again. The film takes you on an intense journey of a family coming together for passover. At first, family members treat each other as always, bickering and not truly communicating. With the help of some touch g-d ecstasy, the family moves from moments of raw truths to warm conciliations to absolute hilarity. What I loved most about this movie were the layers of what was happening at the same time. Characters evolved, forgiving each other and coming to terms with their own demons. Spiritual questions were raised in the context of Judaism, but which apply to any religion. Outlandishly funny moments kept everyone laughing at just the right time. I wish more movies were made like this.