The Schultz sisters, Julia (Christine Weatherup) and Emily (Lesley McKinnell), take to the kitchen to make preparations for their deceased mother’s Shiva, the Jewish period of mourning. And over the course of The Shiva List’s 10-minute running time, we learn an awful lot about the two, to say the least. What could happen during such a solemn occasion? As the sisters begin baking it doesn’t take long for sibling rivalry to spring out like a caged wild animal, and the results are hilarious.
Emily, the younger of the two, is the queen of passive aggression, and she finds every imaginable opportunity to throw a low blow at her sister. Tension builds, and the two strain to maintain an air of civility — until they can’t. Then things get messy.
“… it doesn’t take long for sibling rivalry to spring out like a caged wild animal…”
Perhaps the funniest portion of the film is devoted to two younger actresses, Riley and Parker Connor, who in flashback give us a taste of what life was like for the Schultz sisters growing up — and what each of the grown sisters would really like to do to the other. Things get wild, woolly, and a bit violent, with some acrobatic tussling fit for a Kung Fu movie.
The aggression doesn’t last too long, and despite the bad vibes between the two, the unpleasantness comes to a fitting conclusion.
The film ends with a great visual gag that will make you chuckle. But still, you might want to think twice about working with a sibling when dangerous tools are within reach.
The Shiva List (2018) Directed by Ashley Hillis. Written By Ashley Hillis. Starring Christine Weatherup, Lesley McKinnell, Riley Connor, Parker Connor.
7.5 out of 10
