Ben Schwartzman and Carol Kane star in the mostly improvised comedy, Between the Ferns
Between the Temples, the mostly improvised comedy from director Nathan Silver, follows Ben, a grieving cantor played by Jason Schwartzman, and Carla (Carol Kane), a retired school teacher interested in getting her Bat Mitzvah. Through their work together, Ben and Carla grow close and find a sense of healing in their lives as they navigate the steady dysfunction brought on by their families and friends.
With 175 credits to her name, Kane has probably played at least one character you’re fond of. There’s Simka Dahblitz-Gravas, the wife of Andy Kaufman’s Latka, on the sitcom Taxi — a role that won her her first and only Golden Globe Award. She was Miracle Max’s wife, Valerie, in The Princess Bride. In Scrooged, she was handy with a toaster as the Ghost of Christmas Present. And in The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, she steadily brought the laughs as Kimmy’s neighbor, Lillian Kaushtupper.
Kane received the Best Supporting prize from the New York Film Critics Circle and has been nominated for Best Supporting Performance at the 2025 Independent Spirit Awards for her performance in the movie.
What makes this nomination different from past accolades? It’s probably the rawness of her performance as Carla in the film, thanks to the improvisational style of the production. Instead of leaning into the quirky comedy stylings she has been known for throughout her career, Kane tapped into her authentic voice in Between the Temples, resulting in a resonant, heartfelt performance.
“There was not a solid script, so take to take a lot of the dialogue would be different,” Kane explained to Gold Derby. “The essence and the structure of the scene would be the same, but we could improvise the dialogue as we went along.”
Could an Oscar nomination be next? Possibly.
One thing’s certain: Carol Kane’s finally getting the flowers she deserves. Read on to find out when to watch Between the Temples.
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Carol Kane stars as Carla, a retired music teacher looking to get her Bat Mitzvah in Between the Temples.
When to watch Between the Temples
After a brief theatrical run, Between the Temples will premiere on Netflix on Saturday, Dec. 21.
Netflix is the streaming spot for Between the Temples. The service currently offers subscriptions that cost between $7 and $23 per month in the US. There’s an extra member fee of $8 if you’re a premium subscriber who wants to share your account with someone outside your household.
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