Jonah Feingold Returns With a Valentine to New York City, ‘31 Candles’

Director Jonah Feingold’s “31 Candles” is almost too cute to stomach, but, then, that might be the point. Mr. Feingold, who also wrote, edited, and stars in the film, garnered some notice a couple years back for “ExMas,” a holiday-themed rom-com made for Amazon Freevee. This picture bears mentioning because the lead character in his current film, Leo Kadner (Mr. Feingold), is a director of on-the-cheap holiday entertainments. This vocation is presented with no little irony and as the subject of parody. Leo, you see, is Jewish; his movies, vehicles for product placement.How else is a nice Jewish boy supposed to sustain a livelihood in New York City? “31 Candles” is, in significant part, a valentine to Manhattan with air kisses made to the other boroughs. The Upper West Side is in evidence — an early scene takes place at Barney Greengrass — as is Greenwich Village, Central Park, Roosevelt Island, and sundry dives and diners that will jog the memories of New Yorkers even if they aren’t quite able to place fingers on them. Mr. Feingold’s love for the city is palpable.But, man, is he annoying. Mr. Feingold cites Rob Reiner’s “When Harry Met Sally” (1989) as an influence, and “31 Candles” recalls vintage Woody Allen in its reliance on smart dialogue, the tweaking of cinematic conventions, and, of course, New York, New York. Our auteur likely spent a lot of time in front of the television as well: There isn’t a character here who doesn’t trade in sit-com ripostes or has a ready knowledge of the cultural stereotypes to which they conform. Mr. Feingold’s script has a paucity of breathing room. All of that repartee? Enough already, it’s exhausting.Which isn’t to say that he doesn’t score from time to time. Mr. Feingold is an inordinately clever fellow and there isn’t a scene in the film that isn’t crisply choreographed. The editing is sharp, the compositions pointed, the transitions witty, and, oy, there’s the soundtrack. Did Mr. Feingold hire composer Grant Fonda to match the specifics of a scene or to send up musical cliches? It’s hard to tell. “31 Candles” is old-school schmaltzy, but inflected by post-modernist caprice. It’s an ill fit.Sarah Coffey in ’31 Candles.’ Via Level 33 EntertainmentThe movie revolves around the travails of a young, social media-driven creative class eager to make it here if they can make it anywhere. The movie proper is centered on Leo and his long-standing crush, Eva Shapiro (Sarah Coffey). The two met at summer camp back in the day, hit it off, and shared a fleeting sexual experience — though there’s reason to doubt Leo’s memory on that count. When they reconnect after many years, our diminutive protagonist is taken aback by a towering young woman: Eva is an aspiring actress who pays the rent by prepping boys and girls for their bar and bat mitzvahs.Leo’s dyslexia is a running joke throughout the movie, and figures into a grand plan to woo Eva: Why shouldn’t a 31-year old who was never bar mitzvahed fulfill a 13-year-old’s mission to become a man? The ruse is as transparent as the day is long, but all the interested parties go along for the ride. In the meantime, Leo continues a friends-with-benefits relationship with Molly (Djouliet Amara), sleeps with Eva’s sister Jensie (Noah Fisher), and goes out on a handful of dates, each of whom embody varying degrees of inappropriate or awkward behaviors. These are some of the funniest scenes in the movie.Mr. Feingold’s picture is supercharged by a cast that is all in for the comedic curveballs he hurls their way — Catherine Cohen and Megan Bitchell are particularly on point as, respectively, Pizza Girl and Christmas Girl. But I dare say Ms. Coffey will leave the most indelible impression. Her physiognomy guarantees presence, but she’s more than the sum of her gangly limbs. Ms. Coffey is as winsome as Audrey Hepburn, as elastic as Juliet Prowse, and as rangy as Patti Smith — that, and she can wisecrack like Thelma Todd and maybe shimmy like her, too.Should you be able to put up with Mr. Feingold’s affectations, you’re likely to find enough in “31 Candles” in which to take pleasure.

Jonah Feingold Returns With a Valentine to New York City, ‘31 Candles’

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