AT THE MOVIES What, Meryl? from page 51 Chaim Potok, Philip Roth, Woody Allen — then perhaps Prime is Younger's way of sending a mes- sage in a bottle to the Jewish community. Consider this heart-to-heart conversation between the charac- ters David and his mother Lisa (Streep, at this point, is wearing a khaki-ish floral shirt and a thick rope of bead strands secured by olive stones). Lisa: "So you're still planning on marrying someone Jewish!' Uma, Shiksa Goddess Amy Klein Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles S andra Bullock was all set to take the role of Rafi in the movie Prime, playing the 37-year-old woman who falls in love with a 23-year-old Jewish artist. But two weeks before shooting, Bullock pulled out The actress told the trades the script hadn't been revised to her satis- faction, although writer/director Ben Younger insisted that he had gone over all script changes with Bullock. He also said he was per- plexed by Bullock's sudden, lurching departure. Now, a year later, as the film is being released to glowing reviews, there's just one word for the Bullock fiasco: Whatever. That's because, shortly after Bullock's resignation, Uma Thurman signed on for the role. In a role that seemed to be calling for the ultimate shiksa — the unattainably perfect tall, blonde very not Jewish woman, who could imagine anyone more perfect than Ms. Kill Bill, Pulp Fiction, Truth About Cats and Dogs Thurman? "She's a shiksa goddess," Younger said, "She's someone who would be irresistible to a nice Jewish mamma's boy,' said the director, who grew up Modern Orthodox and went to yeshiva for elemen- tary and high school. Uma's character, Rafi, is for the most part oblivious to the reli- gious conflict raging between her October 27 . 2005 David: "Ye-e-s. Sure. OK?" Lisa: "But then I don't under- stand why you need to go down this road. You may end up getting hurt for nothing, or worse — hurting her. Don't you value your culture and your history?" David: "Mom, it's not one or the other, Mom." "You're a therapist, you would never tell that to a patient." Lisa: "Not true, not true, I _jrne. 4.41 1r a "Bewitching" Good Ti Have wieno The Muskat® The Hilarious Celebration of Women and The Change! Hot flashes, night sweats and DOOR PRIZES...oh my! See the show October 21-30 for your chance to win a spooky surprise? "The Ultimate Girls' flight Out!" - Detroit Free Press What, Meryl? on page 72 boyfriend David Bloomberg (played by Bryan Greenberg) and his mother Lisa Metzger (Meryl Streep). "There's a huge theme between the fact that she's sort of agnos- tic, probably a WASP, non-reli- gious, and he comes from a strong Jewish background and heritage — and that means a lot to him and his family','Thurman said. "And she's kind of outside. In some way she's not welcome." Thurman says her character is "just a typical open person who's not brought up with religion:' But that doesn't mean she won't fall for a Jewish boy. At one point, Rafi says to her therapist (Streep), before confessing she is dating her son, "You were so right about Jewish men. He's so atten- tive. I mean, of course, you know, you're married to one." (Lisa, more to herself than her client, says: "Yes, but he has A.D.D.") Younger says Rafi is just expressing what's out on the street: "Non-Jewish women talk about it, how [Jewish men] are not afraid of closeness and inti- macy." So what is it about the shiksa goddess type that appeals so much to Jewish men? "I don't think it's the taboo thing," Younger said. "I think it's about getting as far away as pos- sible to what you grew up with. It's probably genetically healthy. I think everyone wants something different." "Uma's the poster child for dif- ferent as far as Jewish boys go',' Younger said. "You don't see Uma at the Young Israel:' THE GEM THEATRE • Downtown Detroit Box Office 313-q63-cig00 licketmaster 24g-645-6666 • www.genitheatre.com • www.menopausethemusical.com Ask about our Inclusive Restaurant Packages The Sisterhood of Temple Beth El presents , Si•ter400d 7-fo Sot/dire SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6 9:15am -2:00pm 0' Temple Beth El 7400 Telegraph at 14 Mile Road qi#sialore for 7-(O4Way CJivinjc ♦ Sweaters ♦ Jewelry ♦ Cosmetics ♦ Travel ♦ Accessories ♦ Children's Clothing ♦ Gourmet Food Mixes ♦ Judaica ♦ Stationery ♦ Books for Children & Adults temple beth el Cash, Checks Visa & Mastercard Welcome Free Admission 1-800-966-7263 (248) 851-4450 americangoormet.com 6700 Orchard Lake Road GODIVA In the West Bloomfield Plaza Chocolarier Mon-Fri 9 am-5 pm • Sat 10am-2pm Kosher Pan, 1037650