You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah is a love letter to Jewish tradition and the coming-of-age story. Stacy Friedman is coming up on her thirteenth birthday, and she is more than ready to step into her role as a woman. Or is she?
Adam Sandler’s film beautifully portrays the juxtaposition between adulthood and the difficulties of being a teenager. While Jewish tradition may make Stacy an adult, her actions and maturity make her a child. Worrying about being cool in school and her crush on Andy, Stacy is easily carried away when her jealousy toward her best friend Lydia causes Stacy to make various bad decisions.
Rather than act as a mature adult, the film embraces the goofy elements of being a teenager and the conflicts that arise when growing up.
You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah remembers that teenagers are not always the most easily likable people, constantly not knowing exactly what they are doing even if they believe they do.
Growing up is difficult, and this Netflix film does not require a Jewish audience in order to find the story of growing up relatable.
The movie, at its core, is about growing up and the trials and tribulations that come with that. It is about choosing friendship and learning more about oneself.
You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah perfectly captures the awkwardness of teenagers and coming-of-age while making jokes about pop culture and dialogue without going over the top or trying too hard.
The relationships between the Friedman family delightfully portray the love/hate relationship between Stacy and her older sister, Ronnie, as well as the dynamic they have with their parents.
The charm that appears in Adam Sandler’s best comedies is present here, even though Adam Sandler is in a far more background role. The movie relies on chemistry between the characters and a relatable and funny story rather than a film filled the slapstick humor.
The teenage girls feel like real people, with their own awkwardness and quirks, rather than turning them into an unrealistic concept of what people think teenage girls would be.
Overall, You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah is a joyful coming-of-age story with heart and laughs that can allow anyone to remember what it felt like to be going through self-discovery and growing up.
