MOVIE PREVIEWS
SIMCHAS AND SORROWS
Rated: PG-13
Release Date: 09/16/2022
Production Company: Gravitas Ventures

Cast:
Genevieve Adams, Thomas McDonell, Luke Forbes, Julie Halston, Greg Bello, Annelise Cepero, Billy Calder, Lucy Morris, Chip Zien and John Cullum.

Crew:
Director: Genevieve Adams. Producers: Genevieve Adams, Lila Claghorn, Jackie Donohoe, Hari Nef, Matt Ott, Niki Shyam Sunder, Hannah Swayze and Susie Talbot. Screenwriter: Genevieve Adams. Cinematographer: Daniel Contaldo.
Plot:
By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs

Some people will go to great lengths to find true love. In director/writer/actor Genevieve Adams' romantic, faith based feature film, "Simchas and Sorrows," sometimes love doesn't always conquer all.

Agnes (Adams, "Walk Among the Tombstones") stays busy as a struggling playwright and afterschool children's drama teacher. She's a good person who was a raised as a Catholic, but really is an Atheist. Her life is slowly changing, thanks largely to her fiance' Levi (Thomas McDonell, TV's "Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist").

She is willing to convert to Judaism, mainly to please Levi and his strict family. Plus, when she tells him she's ready to get married and is pregnant too, well, Levi is over the moon. He's still worried that his family won't fully accept them, but suggest that Agnes take classes from Rabbi Cohen (Hari Nef, TV's "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel"). The Rabbi is very liberal and open-minded and surely Agnes will connect with her and come away with a better appreciation of what she's getting into.

Levi is trying to be the good son because his brother Abe (Billy Calder, TV's "My Friend Will") and his non-Jewish holistic lifestyle fiancee, Glaucia (Annelise Cepero, TV's "Blue Bloods") aren't a family favorite. Levi wants his parents, Mortimer (Chip Zien, TV's "Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist") and Maude (Julie Halston, "Gossip Girl") who are devout Jews, to be happy and proud of his union with Agnes.

Just when it seemed that Levi and Agnes were starting to truly bond, things get heated when the family talk turns to celebrating Christmas. Agnes believes that a Christmas tree is merely symbolic of the holiday and doesn't feel she should give that up. She tells Levi, it doesn't make her more or less Jewish if she has a tree or not. She says her relationship centers around love and not just belief.

As you might imagine that doesn't sit well with Levi. Soon he's questioning Agnes and their relationship in general. Levi makes some good points, but Agnes' are better.

The movie goes back and forth with whether or not they'll marry and if it's even worth their time. I liked the conflict between the characters especially Agnes/Adams who comes across as strong and confident.

I wish Adams would have taken even bolder steps to give the movie some added spark and punch. However, for a small budget indie film, "Simchas and Sorrows" is worthy of watching since it raises valid issues surrounding relationships, marriage and religion and often does so in a humorous and convincing manner.

"Simchas and Sorrows" opens in theaters Sept. 16 and begins streaming on all Digital and VOD platforms on Sept. 20.

Editor's Note: Be sure to catch my N2Entertainment.net movie talk segment on the Kitty O'Neal Show Fridays at 6:20 p.m. on radio station KFBK 93.1 FM and 1530 AM.

Watch This Trailer For "SIMCHAS AND SORROWS"

Lana K. Wilson-Combs is a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA), The American Film Institute (AFI), and a Nominating Committee Voting Member for the NAACP Image Awards.

OLD SCHOOL VIDEO PICK OF THE MONTH

<b>MAHOGANY</b> Title: MAHOGANY
Year Released: 1975
Running Time: 109
Production Company: Paramount Pictures
Director: Berry Gordy, Tony Richardson and Jack Wormser
Director of Photography: David Watkin
Screenwriter: John Byrum and Toni Amber
Author: Lana K. Wilson-Combs

REVIEW: DIANA ROSS AND BILLY DEE WILLIAMS DAZZLE IN "MAHOGANY"

Do you know where you're going to?
Do you like the things that life is showing you? Where are you going to?
Do you know?
Do you get what you're hoping for? When you look behind you, there's no open doors. What are you hoping for? Do you know? "Theme from Mahogany...
  MOVIE TRIVIA
 
The "Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)" was sung by Diana Ross in the 1975 movie "Mahogany." But, who initially recorded the song in 1973?
"Roberta Flack"
"Natalie Cole"
"Deniece Williams"
"Thelma Houston"