by Lisa Nystrom
Worth: $17.00
FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
Cast:
Simone Nathan, Paul Williams, Joseph Nathan, Amanda Billing, Jeff Szusterman
Intro:
A fun, fresh blend of comedy and character-driven insight, with the perfect amount of conflict …
Screenwriter Simone Nathan (Our Flag Means Death) stars in New Zealand comedy Kid Sister, a loosely autobiographical story about family, Jewish identity, and the chaos of being an adult.
Taking on the mantle of writer, producer, and star, Nathan shares the screen alongside real life husband Paul Williams, and brother Joseph Nathan, making this a true family affair.
The story follows Lulu, the black sheep of a tight-knit Jewish family, recently returned to Aotearoa after spending the last year of her 20s in the US playing counsellor at Jewish Summer camp. Lulu immediately hooks back up with her on-again-off-again, very non-Jewish boyfriend, Ollie, who has the audacity to give her what she assumes is a UTI but turns out to be something much, much more permanent.
Amidst the family drama of Lulu’s mother loudly and repeatedly badgering her older brother for a grandchild, and her brother’s wife being forced to admit that they’re having troubles in that area, Lulu realises the answer to her brother’s baby woes might just be her own unplanned pregnancy with Ollie.
It’s a delightful comedy of errors set-up to cause mischief and chaos from the word go. Nathan’s writing is a strong balance between humour and genuine sentiment, navigating the intricacies of unexpected pregnancy and the emotional weight of surrogacy with both sensitivity and a quick wit. It’s also a brilliant snapshot of modern dating, avoiding the overplayed boy-meets-girl of it all by throwing a pregnancy into the mix and turning romcom cliches on their head. As if Ollie’s quest to woo his pregnant girlfriend wasn’t already precarious, he also has to overcome the barrier of religion and generations of tradition. Ollie considers converting to the Jewish faith, a plot point that mirrors Paul Williams’ own real life journey towards Judaism.
While largely played for laughs, Nathan does a wonderful job of shedding light on a highly insular yet not unwelcoming community. The chemistry between Ollie and Lulu can’t help but feel genuine thanks to their offscreen relationship, and the entire supporting cast is equally delightful, each member of Lulu’s family bringing their own loveable idiosyncrasies to the mix and putting the “functional” in dysfunctional family.
A fun, fresh blend of comedy and character-driven insight, with the perfect amount of conflict to make this one to look out for.
