We’ve been following the whirlwind success of “Bad Shabbos” since its debut at the St. Louis Jewish Film Festival in March. After making the leap to a wide release last month, the Tribeca Audience Award-winning comedy is now headed for its next stage: “Bad Shabbos” going digital. Fresh off a $1.5 million box office run, the film is set to stream on major platforms starting Sept. 16, including Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and cable on-demand.
From theaters to your living room
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Locally, “Bad Shabbos” drew a packed house at the Jewish Film Festival, then made a return in August at Marcus Des Peres Cinema. Nationally, it’s had legs — 17 straight weeks in New York and extended runs in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago and Washington, D.C. The combination of Kyra Sedgwick’s sharp comedic timing and Cliff “Method Man” Smith’s deadpan delivery clearly clicked with audiences.
A dinner spirals out of control
At the center of the comedy is David (Jon Bass) and his fiancée Meg (Meghan Leathers), nervously hosting their first meet-the-parents Shabbat dinner. He’s a Modern Orthodox New Yorker. She’s Catholic, mid-conversion. Brisket on the table, challah on the board — then chaos when an “accidental death” interrupts. What follows is a rapid-fire spiral of cover-ups, panic and improvisation, anchored by Sedgwick as David’s mother and Smith as the unflappable doorman.
Filmed on the Upper West Side, rooted in family
Shot entirely on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, director Daniel Robbins leaned into authenticity, even sneaking in a scene at deli legend Barney Greengrass. Co-written with Zack Weiner, the film explores family dynamics and interfaith relationships under pressure.
In an email statement, Menemsha Films president Neil Friedman said the studio is thrilled to bring the film home for the holidays, calling it “a modern comedy classic” that works whether you know your milchig from your fleishig or not.
