The Cinderella stories of Aline Brosh McKenna

By Naomi Pfefferman
Published on December 30, 2011

Film: Opposites attract—and seek therapy—in ‘Ira & Abby’

By Steven Rosen
Published on September 13, 2007

Jennifer Westfeldt is gracious, even humble, in accepting the compliment that starts this interview. She has been told that a recent essay on cineastes -- "Jewish Humor, After Woody" -- called her "the most intriguing candidate to forge a career of intelligent, dialogue-driven films about the comic possibilities of modern relationships." In other words, she may be the next Woody Allen.

Paris is not always for lovers in edgy film comedy ‘2 Days in Paris’

By Naomi Pfefferman
Published on July 26, 2007

In Julie Delpy's edgy comic film, "2 Days in Paris," a French expatriate and her American Jewish lover travel to Paris in an attempt to revive their stagnant relationship. Instead, they find that the cultural differences only exacerbate their problems.

Romantic Comedy Loser Finds Love

By Naomi Pfefferman
Published on September 1, 2005

During a recent interview, Michael Showalter at times seemed as socially uncomfortable as the character he plays in his frothy new comedy, "The Baxter," an ode to the romantically challenged.

Although casually dressed in jeans and a blue knitted shirt, he spoke formally and sat rigidly in his chair in the lobby of Le Meridien hotel. He squeezed the black straw that came with his iced coffee, pulverizing it into a lump. He rubbed his temples and placed a hand on his chest, sighing deeply.

"If I'm coming across awkwardly," he said, "I guess my 'Baxterness' is coming out."

The 35-year-old single Jewish actor-writer-director invented the word, "Baxter," to refer to the character who never gets the girl in romantic comedies. He is the guy who has few social graces, two left feet, and not a clue of how to deliver the witty repartee that comes so effortlessly to, say, Cary Grant.

Think John Howard's character in "The Philadelphia Story," Woody Allen in "Crimes and Misdemeanors" and Albert Brooks in "Broadcast News."

Love Amid Scuds

By Naomi Pfefferman
Published on November 8, 2001

Filmmaker Arik Kaplun saw babies everywhere when he moved back to Israel nine months after the Persian Gulf War. "It was a demographic explosion," says the Moscow-born director, who did the math and figured there'd been nooky in the sealed rooms. "I assumed that quite a lot of people had had that experience."