Movie Review – The Pickle Recipe

With a name like The Pickle Recipe there is truly no limit as to what the movie could be about. I should probably be upfront with my bias in that I hate pickles. Yes, I’m one of those people…yet somehow I was able to look past that to enjoy the familiar delight about a secret recipe of the most delicious pickles in metro Detroit, and possibly the world.

Popular Bat/Bar Mitzvah disc jockey, divorcee, and father; Joey Miller (Jon Dohre) lives a relatively simple life until a minor mistake manages to destroy all of his sound equipment right before his daughter’s 13th birthday/Bat Mitzvah. Not wanting to let her down, Joey scrambles to make up the cash needed to perform his best set. As a sort of last resort, Joey turns to his Uncle Morty who already has an idea. The men decide that they should steal Grandma (Uncle Morty’s mother) Rose’s infamous pickle recipe. Seeing as Morty is estranged from his mother, it’s up to Joey to actual obtain the secret recipe.

Grandma Rose (Lynn Cohen, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)) owns a deli, which many come in to try, but it appears the pickles are the cause for return. Protective of her recipe and private in her own life, Rose doesn’t even recognize Joey at first. She has the stereotypical tough Jewish grandma bravado but plays the role like a seasoned champ. Surrounded by a diverse cast of employees at the deli, the respect for Rose is palpable. She has a right to question the motives of a grandson she hasn’t seen in 10+ years.

You may wonder how hard it is to get a stinking recipe from a grandma. You would be surprised. Luckily, there in lies the core of the comedy that keeps you hooked. The cast was fantastic, the script was fresh, and the direction was clear. If you live in Detroit, you will certainly appreciate all the subtle nods to not only the motor city but the mitten as a whole. Shot and filmed in and around South East Michigan, it’s nice to see a family movie with some home town pride. If you are looking for a recipe that the whole family can enjoy, I suggest you don’t dill-y dally to see The Pickle Recipe. There’s never a dill moment and you might relish the idea. Apologies, I couldn’t resist.

In the metro Detroit area, you can catch this starting Thursday, November 3rd at The Maple Theater and Emagine Novi Theater with showtimes starting at 7:00PM.