Bad Shabbos | Comedy Spotlight

Comedy Spotlight

Director Daniel Robbins expected to attend

Every family has its tensions. But not every family has a dead body in the half bath off the kitchen. As this raucous ensemble comedy opens, engaged couple David and Meg are on their way to a Shabbat dinner with his family. But this isn’t a typical family gathering. Tonight they’ll be joined by Meg’s Catholic parents, traveling all the way to New York City from Wisconsin to meet their future in-laws. Pre-dinner cocktails, intended to take the edge off everyone’s nerves, instead trigger a childish prank with unintended consequences. Scrambling to present a sense of normalcy for their Midwestern guests, the family goes from faithfully observing traditions to creatively exploiting them, and creating a few new ones of their own.

Outstanding performances from Kyra Sedgwick, Method Man, and Catherine Curtin, among other familiar faces, play up the family antics, while rapid fire dialogue, a twisty script, and masterful editing drive this Upper West Side escapade’s chaotic momentum. Darkly hilarious with a warm heart, Bad Shabbos is a charmingly modern screwball comedy. — Laura Henneman

West Coast Premiere

Daniel Robbins is an NYC-based filmmaker who takes exciting concepts and grounds them with authentic performances, surprising humor, and propulsive energy.

His breakout film Pledge was a hit at Fantasia Film Festival and sold to IFC Midnight as well as a streaming deal with Hulu. He also won “Best Director” at Screamfest. Variety calls it a “lean and mean shocker,” the New York Times proclaims “...the director is willing to move beyond the tease of his setup to deliver a ringing indictment of popularity as the cheese in a deadly mousetrap,” and The Daily Beast calls it “a fleet, ferocious, and razor-sharp affair.”



His next two features are Citizen Weiner, which was boarded by Abso Lutely and Village Roadshow; and Bad Shabbos, which stars Kyra Sedgwick, Method Man, Jon Bass, David Paymer, Milana Vayntrub, and Ash Zukerman.

Daniel is repped by CAA and Grandview.

Palace of Fine Arts screening sponsored by the Alexander M. & June L. Maisin Foundation
Piedmont screening sponsored by Lydia Shorenstein

10-Flix Ticket Package

$140 JFI Members / $165 General Public

The 10-Flix Voucher Package may be redeemed for any 10 regular or special events tickets to any 10 programs of your choice, with the exception of Opening Night. Share with family and friends, fully transferable. Great for gifts! 10-Flix Vouchers cannot guarantee tickets to sold-out shows, so redeem early to ensure availability.

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