Mikey (Max Plush) is turning 12, and that means it is time for him to consider studying for his bar mitzvah. Or not. See, Mom (Rachel Lynn Jackson) is Jewish, Dad (Timothy J. Cox) is Christian and Mikey is… undecided.
Lee Loechler’s Choosing Sides is a funny tale of two parents trying to convince their otherwise inclined son that their religion is best. As the two parents lobby for their beliefs, often putting down the other’s, Mikey puts up protests along the lines of “but I’d have to, like, learn Torah and s**t.” It’s profane and hilarious.
And, sure, it’s also pretty one-note and you can predict where things are going, it could easily be a moment lifted from a sitcom, but funny is funny. The short is only six minutes long, so it’s not like it beats its concept into the ground. It’s a passive-aggressive, dysfunctional family at their good-natured best as they claw at each others’ religious throats. You know, fun.
Ultimately, that’s where the film is going to live and die, your appreciation of its humor. If you don’t dig the jokes, or don’t have a sense of humor about religion, it’s going to seem like a pointless endeavor. But if you get into the comedy, then it’s a fun few minutes of film. Not the greatest, or funniest, short I’ve ever seen, but a fun a diversion that achieves its goal of getting a laugh or two.
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