Idina Menzel and Adam Sandler in “You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah.” Photo: Netflix
Netflix unveiled on Thursday the release date and first official trailer for its upcoming film You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah, which stars Jewish actor Adam Sandler’s real-life immediate family as well as Jewish actress Idina Menzel.
In the comedic coming-of-age story, best friends Stacy (played by Sunny Sandler) and Lydia (Samantha Lorraine) are planning epic bat mitzvah parties but their plans — and friendship — get derailed by a popular boy in their Hebrew school named Andy Goldfarb (Dylan Hoffman), who Lydia kisses even though she knew Stacy had a crush on him.
In the trailer, Stacy gushes to Lydia about her dream bat mitzvah and wanting to later own with Lydia “adjoining lofts in Tribeca” in the same building as Taylor Swift. Shortly after, Stacy catches Lydia kissing Andy, prompting her to tell Lydia their friendship is over, and begins to spread anonymous rumors about Lydia. Stacy’s sister (Sadie Sandler) and mother then get involved and encourage her to make peace with her former best friend, warning that her behavior could result in her bat mitzvah being cancelled.
Menzel and Adam Sandler, who starred together in 2019’s Uncut Gems, play husband and wife once again, this time as Stacy’s parents, the Friedmans. Joining them in the cast is Adam’s off-screen wife Jackie Sandler. She appears in the trailer as a woman named Gabi who rings the Friedman family’s doorbell as Adam’s character argues with Stacy offscreen about having a mojito bar at her bat mitzvah party.
“It was the best,” director Sammi Cohen said about making the movie with the entire Sandler family. “The Sandlers made me part of the family. It was this really beautiful thing where everyone had space to do their own thing, but always had support when they needed it. There’s a natural chemistry you get with the Sandlers that makes everything feel real and slice-of-life. What was really special to watch was how the movie mirrored real life. Right before filming, Sunny had her actual bat mitzvah. It was a big coming-of-age moment for everyone. And filming the movie felt like a continuation of that.”
The film’s cast includes Saturday Night Live’s Sarah Sherman, Wednesday actor Luis Guzmán, Ido Mosseri, Samantha Lorraine, Dylan Hoffman, Dean Scott Vazquez, Miya Cech, Ivory Baker, Dylan Dash, Millie Thorpe, Zaara Kuttemperoor, Judd Goodstein and Kasey Bella Suarez. You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah, scripted by Alison Peck, is based on the 2005 young adult novel of the same name by Fiona Rosenbloom.
Cohen believes You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah has “something for everyone” and will relate to both children and adults.
“[The movie] gives us insight to this very Jewish coming-of-age experience but speaks to broader themes about what it means to be a kid today. Most of the time it’s a fun, exhilarating ride, but sometimes your stomach drops and you think the world will end. But hey, that’s being 13,” he said.
“I was excited to tell a Jewish coming-of-age story that explores formative female friendships and self-discovery in a real, messy, authentic way. Stacy and Lydia’s chemistry is undeniable. They’re little platonic soulmates. The kind of friends who make you feel nostalgic for your own. It’s relatable. It’s messy. It encapsulates the first kind of love many of us experience: your childhood best friend.”
Jackie Sandler’s film debut was a brief appearance in Adam’s 1999 film Big Daddy. She has appeared in many of her husband’s other films including Bedtime Stories, Just Go With It and the recent Netflix movie The Out-Laws, which Sunny also made an appearance in. The couple’s daughters have both been featured in their father’s movies in the past like Grown Ups,Grown Ups 2, That’s My Boy, Hubie Halloween and Murder Mystery.
You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah premieres on Netflix on Aug. 25. Watch the official trailer below.
