iMordecai (2022) User Reviews

We need more movies like this!

[carlmeeze369 · 10/10 · 18 January 2023]

I laughed and cried in the best of ways! Hollywood should take a page from Independent movies because indies have more passion in each frame than most other studio productions do in an entire franchise. Saw this at Saint Augustine Film Festival with my parents and everyone loved it! We were supposed to see something with Peter Dinklage in it but this was a very welcomed surprise. Made me think about my family a lot.

Not a lot of stories like these out there. This touches on a beautiful theme that it is never too late to find inspiration all while enjoying the shenanigans of Mordicai. Fantastic storytelling. Great Performances from Judd and Carol as the root of the movie. Lots of heartwarming moments.

P.s the editor for this worked on BIRDMAN??! No wonder it looked so good. Looks like A24 might have some competition if these film makers continue working together. Would love to see more work from these talented people.

Simply appalling

[saffirebleu-423-428053 · 3/10 · 6 November 2022]

I really wanted to like this film, but it was just awful. I do not understand the high rating for this at all. Full of unlikable stereotypes, this film was hard to sit through. I feel bad saying that because this is based on a true story, but their was no real depth to any of the main characters. I have always adored Carol Kane but her character was played as a caricature. The father was kind of a jerk. I felt like there was not a lot of love in this family, just a lot of annoyance. I would have liked to have seen more in the relationship between Mordecai and Nina...she was the best-played character in my opinion and her scenes made the movie for me. Her story and the unraveling of her family's secret was interesting. But overall, although the subject matter was interesting on the surface, I just did not feel any connection to any of the characters. The best scene is the clip that is used for the trailer, with the young man Jared giving Mordecai a set of Beats to listen to music on his iPhone. The actor playing Jared stole that scene. Overall, sitting through this film was not an enjoyable experience.

Really enjoyed this peek into a quirky and interesting life of a cigar icon.

[john-4023 · 10/10 · 30 January 2023]

The film opens with a unique animation of the upbringing of Mortecai and moves into the story of a relationship with his family. I really appreciated the methods utilized to tell a story that could have been a heavy theme, but was produced in a fairly light-hearted and comical way. It was refreshing, funny and had many touching moments. The story turns when Mordecai found that technology can open up a world that someone with his personality would create the antics of maybe a teenager finding a hotrod with the keys left in it...Too funny. The acting was fantastic. I thought Carol Kane's (Fela) jealous reaction to Mordecai talking to his iphone (siri) was just spot on for example. It was also fun to see Sean Astin step outside of his previous roles and become a family man and cigar company owner. Absolutely a joy to witness.

Choppy Editing, Sub-plots that go nowhere, Variable Acting Quality

[kiga-1 · 3/10 · 15 November 2022]

Saw this as a preview in Boca Raton, FL on Nov 14, 2022.

The director made some very charming opening remarks, telling the story of how the film came to be, customer service at Cinemark was top quality with free popcorn and bottled water.

Then the movie began....

Judd Hirsch and Carol Kane need to tone down those accents as they were caricatured to the point of sometimes being unintelligible. At some point realism has to be sacrificed for the sake of the making the movie understandable. Hirsch's character also does some stuff that so contradicts what is established like leaving his wife alone for hours after he preaches the whole movie about his irresponsible son.

Some admittedly funny stuff was buried in an avalanche of sub-plots and other threads that went nowhere. (100 year old lady reminding us of Holocaust, a character with a shady past, fixing a broken shower, the put-upon next door neighbor, etc.) I assume they were supposed to be part of a larger statement but the director and editor just couldn't juggle these into a coherent whole and what should have been a simple, charming story bogs down in sit-com level dramatics and feel-good moments.

Except for Sean Astin (gained a lot of weight looking terrible in shirts that are too tight for his frame and an awful hairpiece) the acting is very amateurish: Stephanie J Block (Broadway star) is so flat and bored in her delivery you'd think she couldn't wait for her paycheck so she could leave, the young lady playing the leading role of Nina is so inexperienced she looks terrified in every scene.

The writer/director made it clear it was his first movie having had absolutely no experience in either shorts films or television...and it shows.

What an absolute gem of a film!!!

[rsheps · 10/10 · 15 January 2023]

This is an absolutely wonderful movie. It is a deeply personal story that is emotional, fantastically warm and funny that should not be missed. It's the perfect balance of warmth and humor that makes you fall in love with all the characters.

Judd Hirsch gives an absolutely perfect performance in the title role- bringing Mordechi to life with an incredibly upllifting performance. So very well written and directed- with a talented cast of actors- this is a film that is smart, charming and tells a wise tale that no one should miss. We absolutely loved this film!! A perfect mix of laughter and charming emotion.

We learn a lot about ourselves from Mordechi and leave the theater with a new friend and perspective on life.

Funny and touching

[ilivefmc · 10/10 · 16 January 2023]

I found the movie funny and heartwarming. The writing are directing are very good for a first timer. The characters are well developed and the storyline compelling. I didn't find myself bored at any time during the film. That rarely happens.

Based on the plot, I was unsure whether my kids teenage kids would relate to it, but they enjoyed the movie as much as I did.

I'm recommending this movie and good solid entertainment that will make you laugh and cry. I think that people of all ages, as children, parents, and grandparents will find something to relate to. It also has a business aspect that I found particularly interesting.

Easy watch, fun for the family

[evanbrandoff · 9/10 · 15 January 2023]

I went to see iMordecai with my parents who are in their 70's. We all laughed, teared up at times and related to the movie and its characters in different ways. The cast was very impressive. Judd Hirsch and Carol Kane have always been a dynamic duo. Sean Asten is incredibly talented and the actress that played Nina has tremendous potential.

Marvin Samel who wrote, produced and directed this film, based on a personal story, made opening remarks before the film started. He is incredibly likable, and his passion for telling his father's story is moving.

Overall, I think that this is a film that most anyone can relate to a subset of the characters, it's a feel good story, and it's a good choice to watch with your parents (or kids).

One of the most touching films about love, loss and redemption

[nteicher · 10/10 · 14 January 2023]

An amazing cast and story come together for a picture for all ages. Alzheimer's , the Holocaust and family relationships all meld together into a touching emotional tribute to getting old and staying young all at the same time . Beautifully set in Southern Florida the film and music only enhance this universal story. Judd Hirsch and Carol Kane play amazing off each other after all these years and Sean Astin along with the rest of the cast all add to this fun ride that ends perfectly. The story is based on a true story that circles around a Cigar Company and the detail the Director put into his Cigars is a mirror to the detail put into this film .

iMordecai: Navigating Modern Life with Laughter, Loss, and Love

[tinypunkee-02495 · 10/10 · 19 March 2023]

This heartwarming comedy-drama had me laughing, crying and feeling all the emotions in between.

Judd Hirsch's portrayal of Mordecai, a Holocaust survivor trying to navigate the modern world, is truly phenomenal. His performance is nuanced, emotional, and relatable.

The movie is set in the South Florida Jewish community and as someone who lives in that community, I can attest that the filmmakers did an excellent job of depicting us. The attention to detail in the production design is also remarkable, and it really adds to the authenticity of the film.

One of the things that I loved most about iMordecai is how it tackles serious themes such as trauma and loss while also delivering plenty of laughs. The humor is both witty and slapstick, and it strikes a perfect balance with the more emotional scenes.

Overall, iMordecai is a must-watch for anyone who enjoys a good comedy-drama. It's a beautifully crafted film that will leave you feeling uplifted and inspired. I highly recommend it!

great story - FANTASTIC CAST.

[ptnvk · 10/10 · 26 April 2023]

The cast is perfect in this beautiful, heartfelt and vivacious story. Judd and Carole are epic together.

Highly recommend for the depth, character ensemble, and the unforgettable story attached.

Based on a true story, it captures every moment carefully and you can see how much care was put into it.

I absolutely loved the animation sprinkled in- how did such a layer of depth to an already deep story

this is such a real story that many people can relate to.

The beautiful scenery is another added layer to the aesthetics- I seriously love Carole Kane in this so much! Legend!!

Great watch !! X.

Immensely enjoyable family dynamics story with Tour de Force Performances by Carol Kane and Judd Hirsch

[herbqedi · 10/10 · 18 February 2023]

Absolutely magnificent portrayals of the main character's parents by Judd Hirsch and Carol Kane will make this film indelible in my mind even as memories fade in my own sunset years. Judd Hirsch is so robust at 87, it's awe-inspiring. And at 87, He was absolutely perfect to play Mordecai - whom we were privileged to meet in person in a Q & A with the director and cast member after the showing. We also got to learn just how much of it was based on real life. The answer, unsurprisingly after seeing it, was most of it. The exemptions had to do with amalgams created from different Apple Genius Bar trainers, here known as Einstein Nina and Einstein Jared. A novice actress did a great job as Nina.

Sean Astin was terrific playing cigar entrepreneur and father/husband/son Marvin Samel who directed and wrote the film during the period he had learned his mom had Alzheimer's. The supporting cast members were also excellent and complementary to he film.

Coming from the boroughs (Queens and Bronx) and now living as a senior in Florida, I really related to the film and considered the leading characters, antics and conflicts to be both quite realistic and very cathartic - not to mention hysterically funny at times. Hirsch's ability to extract empathy from his audience has never been utilized better. Kane's portrait of the mother slipping in and out of Alzheimer's slow but relentless takeover of the mind was totally awesome. The serious themes were well handled and fit into the death is a part of life perspective.

The film's uses of music, including Klezma, and the obligatory montage bridges, were extremely well interspersed and editors. It rather shocked me when I found out that it was his first time ever on a live movie set. It wasn't quite Kazan or Lumet direction but was excellent in helping to execute this story.

If you can relate to Florida Jews who escaped Nazi-Poland and made their lives in New York then later retire to FLorida, this is a must-see. If not, see it anyway. You'll feel good and bittersweet at the same time.