Putzel
{{Infobox film
| name = Putzel
| image = File:Putzel post.jpeg
| alt =
| caption = Promotional poster
| director = Jason Chaet
| producer = {{Plainlist|
- Jason Chaet
- Allegra Cohen
- Sheri Davao
- Rick A. Moore
- Jonathan Gray
- Mary Jane Skalski
}}
| writer = {{Plainlist|
- Jason Chaet
- Rick A. Moore
}}
| starring = {{Plainlist|
- Jack Carpenter
- Melanie Lynskey
- Susie Essman
- John Pankow
}}
| music = {{Plainlist|
- Matt Bauder
- Jonathan Benedict
- Rob Niederpruem
}}
| cinematography = Ryan Samul
| editing = {{Plainlist|
- Joel Plotch
- Federico Rosenzvit
}}
| production_companies = Stouthearted Films
| distributor = Filmbuff
| released = {{Film date|2012|10|13|Woodstock Film Festival|2014|04|08|Internet}}
| runtime = 88 minutes
| country = United States
| language = English
| gross =
}}
Putzel is a 2012 American romantic dramedy film. Co-written and directed by Jason Chaet in his feature directorial debut, it stars Jack Carpenter, Melanie Lynskey, John Pankow, and Susie Essman. Putzel premiered at the Woodstock Film Festival on October 13, 2012,{{cite news|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/Stouthearted-Films-Announces-World-Premiere-of-PUTZEL-at-Woodstock-Film-Festival-20121012|work=BroadwayWorld|title=Stouthearted Films Opens World Premiere of Putzel at Woodstock Film Festival Today, 10/13|date=October 13, 2012|access-date=June 19, 2024}} and was made purchasable through iTunes on April 8, 2014.{{cite news|url=https://www.westsiderag.com/2014/03/29/putzel-a-silly-upper-west-side-love-story|work=West Side Rag|title=Putzel: A Silly Upper West Side Love Story|date=March 29, 2014|access-date=June 19, 2024}} Its title derives from the Yiddish word for "little fool".
Premise
For Walter Himmelstein, a young man known affectionately as Putzel, life doesn't stretch too far beyond the family business - a bagel and lox store in uptown Manhattan. Walter's dreams of presiding over his uncle Sid's emporium are disrupted by the arrival of Sally, a beguiling dancer who begins an affair with the much older, very-married Sid. In attempting to sabotage their doomed liaison, Walter finds his world thrown chaotically off course and, after a lifetime of teasing from those around him, starts to recognize that he's more than merely a "putzel".
Cast
- Jack Carpenter as Walter (as Jack T. Carpenter)
- Melanie Lynskey as Sally
- Susie Essman as Gilda
- John Pankow as Sid
- Jarlath Conroy as McGinty
- Adrian Martinez as Hector
- Steve Park as Song
- Armando Riesco as Jake
- Allegra Cohen as Willa
- Fran Kranz as Salmon Guy
Production
The film was shot on location in New York City's Upper West Side in 2011, with principal photography lasting 18 days.{{cite news|url=https://jewishjournal.com/culture/arts/117147/filmmakers-spin-an-upper-west-side-fairy-tale-with-l-a-jewish-film-festival-opener-putzel/|last=Pfefferman|first=Naomi|work=The Jewish Journal|title=Filmmakers spin an Upper West Side fairy tale with L.A. Jewish Film Festival opener 'Putzel'|date=May 29, 2013|access-date=June 19, 2024}}
Release and reception
After debuting at the Woodstock Film Festival in October 2012, Putzel was named Best Picture at the Phoenix Film Festival when it screened there the following April.{{cite news|url=https://www.phoenixfilmfestival.com/awards-1|website=PhoenixFilmFestival.com|title=Feature Film Awards|access-date=June 19, 2024}} It was generally well received by critics, with The Washington Post comparing it to the works of Woody Allen, calling it "sharp" and "appealingly offbeat";{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/going-out-guide/wp/2014/04/18/watch-online-i-am-divine-and-putzel/|last=O'Sullivan|first=Michael|newspaper=The Washington Post|title=Watch online: 'I Am Divine' and 'Putzel'|date=April 18, 2014|access-date=June 19, 2024}} while Redefine{{'}}s Allen Huang praised the "delightful" performances of Jack Carpenter and Melanie Lynskey, noting that their interactions were "deftly believable".{{cite news|url=https://redefinemag.net/2013/seattle-international-film-festival-siff-2013-mid-point-reviews/|last=Huang|first=Allen|work=Redefine|title=Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) 2013: Best & Worst Films Round-Up Reviews|date=June 15, 2013|access-date=June 19, 2024}}
References
{{reflist}}