A Jewish man is possessed by his Yiddish grandmother.
OMI is used with permission from Adam Lebowitz-Lockard. Learn more at adamll.weebly.com.
Matt and Christina are a happy couple, and Matt is ready to take the next step with her. But just as he's gearing up to broach the conversation, he receives a package containing some sentimental objects left to him by his Yiddish grandmother, Omi, who recently passed away. Through this object, he gets possessed by her spirit, which is horrified by Matt's plans for the future with his non-Jewish girlfriend.
Omi does her best to derail Matt's plans, bubbling up at inopportune times, arguing with him incessantly and taking over his body whenever she can. To get back to normal, Matt must find a way to appease his grandmother while still preserving his present and future happiness with Christina.
Directed and written by Adam Lebowitz-Lockard, this warmhearted comedy short has a very specific cultural context, immersed and infused with Jewish customs and traditions. But it's also a relatable tale of a man navigating a variegated, modern world and relationships while maintaining a tie to his heritage, a balancing act familiar to anyone who has ever felt the tension between familial expectations and finding their personal bliss.
Well-written, nimbly paced and conveyed in a natural, straightforward sense of visuals, the push-pull between past/present and self/family is embedded right in the heart of Matt's character, whose body is taken over by his grandmother during his possession. The humor comes from the terrific specificity of character in both writing and performance, particularly with Omi's very assertive, opinionated personality, in contrast with Matt's more reasonable, easygoing one. As they bicker about Matt's choice of a "shiksa" as a life partner, their personalities and aims clash -- but in the same body, making for awkward and often humorous situations.
But no matter how goofily the possession plays out -- and there are many moments where she threatens to bubble up in the worst possible moment -- the emotional heart of the narrative remains. Part of that is the sharp, smart and on-point dialogue, and part of it is also Lebowitz-Lockard's performance, which is deft, specific and committed, no matter what the character or story beat is. Matt's love for both his grandmother and his girlfriend is always touchingly real, giving emotional grounding to the story's outlandish premise. He wants to honor and please the family matriarch, but he also wants to be happy. And he tries hard to get through to Omi, through many funny, exasperating moments.
This balancing between two conflicting loves makes OMI especially resonant in its themes of cultural heritage, love and happiness, literalizing the pull between self and family in a comical, memorable fashion. Its cultural specificity is both matter-of-fact and authentic, but by wearing its heart on its sleeve, it also allows viewers to step into the world and walk alongside the character. Our inner negotiations may not be so overt as Matt's, but many of us are not so different in wanting a way to carry our family traditions or heritage into the future, while still appreciating modern autonomy and freedoms.
Негізгі бет OMI | Omeleto Comedy
No video
Пікірлер: 8