Loving Leah

Year of release : 2009

 

Run time : 1h38min

 

Genre : Romantic / Drama

 

 

The movie is based on a play by the same name by Pnenah Goldstein.

 

Jake has a dream about his brother,a very strict rabbi. He then receives a phone call,telling him his brother died. After he talks to Leah,he finds out his brother's soul found the one he loved the most,him,to say goodbye.

 

Leah,the 26 year old widow,wants to go to school,but her mother and community have other plans for her.

 

Let me just tell you, the lead's actions and their strict religious beliefs had me enraged,and this is why:

They ask the brother of the deceased to marry the widow so his name will carry on.

Women have to wear wigs because only the husband is allowed to see their hair.

Also,no makeup. It's a spiritual life,so they must cast these things aside.

 

Leah is part of a very strict religious group,and they follow the Jewish teachings to the dot. So much so,that they tell her and her late husband's brother,it is custom to marry each other,in case she's pregnant ( but that's a minor detail). If she's not,and they don't want to stay married,they have to follow this ritual with a shoe,in which she spits towards him and he has to deny his brother's existence.

 

Jake has a girlfriend for over a year,and because he doesn't want to deny his brother's existence,because he "worshiped him"(I don't find it a good thing to worship someone),he ends up staying in the marriage to Leah.

Jake doesn't understand why his girlfriend of 14 months breaks up with him,after he literally married another woman while dating her.

He plays both sides,tells one thing to the girlfriend then does the opposite. Tells the girlfriend he's divorcing the wife he didn't want,then tells Leah it's all good and takes her out.

 

In movies they always have the most ridiculous pics,and this is one of those movies. They are either caught unaware or look photoshopped,which they probably are. I don't know anyone who has those kind of pics on display in their house.

 

Her mother is very annoying. She finds her another man,she wants her to remarry right away! She's acting as if Leah is a kid,checking on her. She actually comes to visit the couple after they moved in together,to see if they really live like husband and wife,and by that I mean,sleep together.

She's a grown woman,but acts like a kid towards her mother. I guess it also has to do with the upbringing. Here comes the kicker,her mother converted to Judaism after meeting / marrying her father (who's forever absent in this movie) ,she wanted to live like this,a life of restrictions,controlled by her husband and community! I honestly don't understand these kind of women! Too much of a good thing ,I guess! They like to suffer.

 

By the way, I have nothing against Judaism,I just have something against religious control.

I don't like that their lives are all about religion and in the process of doing the "right thing" they lose themselves,their goals and ideals,to make others happy. There's nothing but their God and duty.

 

The kisses were awkward so I wouldn't say bad. This was a married woman ,but it looked like she was never kissed before.

 

For those interested, Thimothee Chalamet played the young Jake.

You can find the movie on YouTube here :

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyPyUB0eeWk

 

 

Rating : Could have been a contender !