Review by John Delia
Now here’s a film that totally dysfunctional, shocking, nasty, vulgar, sickening, trashy, outlandish, and yet in a way disgustingly funny. It’s Called Donny’s Bar Mitzvah, but I really don’t think there’s ever been a Bar Mitzvah quite this ridiculous. All in fun, the writer director must have a very active imagination to pull this one off. Much like the classic Animal House and the more recent Neighbors, there’s no holds barred in this sick and twisted comedy. While I’m not going to grade with stars in fear of losing some of my audience, I still have to say it’s a pretty good flick for comedy fans who are not easily offended.
It’s 1998 and just turning 13, Donny Drucker has reached the age of becoming a man in the Jewish faith and his Bar Mitzvah is just getting under way. His parents Gary and Susan have set up the big affair and invited all the relatives, Danny’s school friends and even some of their new neighbors, the Wang’s. The DJ is set up, munchies are available and the liquor is flowing.
However, there’s more going on behind the scenes with the teens talking sex, Donny taking the opportunity to woo Hannah, relatives mingling, and friends opening up to possible scoring with those who are getting high and drunk. At first it’s just “whoa did that just happenâ€, then are the kids really kissing same sex, are the dates of the realities coming out of the closet, to even “are you kidding me?†The film keeps stepping up the sexual action and innuendos before taking a pause, then Director and Writer Jonathan Kaufman lets his imagination really go wild by turning the story into hilarious chaos.
The acting is nothing to write home about, but the cast does a good job of depicting the characters that make up the plot. To be frank however, the characters they are pulling out of this salacious script get out of control with middle schoolers portraying teenage drinking, drug use and suggestive sex at the ripe “old age?†of 13. Some of the older roles push the envelope with sex, uncontrollable vomit, and other unsavory action.
One of my favorite action stars, Danny Trejo isn’t in the movie for many frames, but he sure is perfect for the role. Of all the movies Danny Trejo has been in it’s the first time his costume involved boobs and a wig. Way to go Danny for giving “one for the Gipper!â€
Donny’s Bar Mitzvah has not been rated by the MPAA, but contains sex, sexual innuendos, drug use by adults and teens, a violent scene, pervasive language, nudity and some racial and religious epitaphs. The film is playing on iTunes with some availability of Prime Video.
Additional Film Information:
Cast: Steele Stebbins, John DeLuca, Tricia O’Kelley
Noureen DeWulf, Wendy Braun
Directed and written by: Jonathan Kaufman
Genre: Comedy
MPAA Rating: Not Rated, contains sex, nudity, drugs, language, teen drinking,
Running Time: 1 hr. 19 min
Opening Date: March 23, 2021
Distributed by: Circle Collective
Released in: iTunes, Prime Video