The Tollbooth
Encyclopedia
The Tollbooth is a coming-of-age film (2004
) directed by Debra Kirschner about a young artist struggling to forge her own identity in the big city, while her Jewish parents keep watch from just over the bridge in Brooklyn
.
) gets a job as a waitress and begins her struggle as a New York City
artist. With her angsty and cynical personality, she doesn’t have much patience for her family—a nagging mother, a father who is always misquoting Kafka, one sister who just got pregnant with her sweet but dopey husband, and another sister who is ‘perfect’ until she announces she’s a lesbian
at Rosh Hashanah
dinner. And then there’s her boyfriend Simon (Rob Mcelhenney), whose choice to live in the suburbs with a great sound system instead of hip and unpredictable New York has given Sarabeth doubts about their future together. She uses her canvas as an escape, where she can make sense of it all.
The Tollbooth tackles serious Jewish issues as they present themselves to a politically-liberal
, anti-traditional, feminist post graduate. As frustrated as Sarabeth is that she grew up being constantly reminded of relatives who died in the Holocaust, and no matter how much she hates going to synagogue
, the truth is that she’s Jewish and she will always be Jewish. The struggle to escape her roots is impossible, so she’s forced to integrate a 5,000-year-old religion into her modern life.
This epiphany
comes to Sarabeth when she finds herself feeling out of place at a 4th of July
barbecue
. She is a little-black-dress-wearing, wine drinking, daughter-of-an-anti-patriot; among pastel colors, beer and fire works. And ultimately considers herself a "sore thumb". But when she overhears one of the party’s guests make an anti-Semitic comment, and realizes she doesn’t want to fit it in to this crowd, and that she is proud of her heritage
.
For those not familiar with socio-economic structure of New York City this film’s dialogue may came off as funny. However to viewers that have experienced life in the city, will understand that the living situations described are real. When Sarabeth tells her waitress friend that she’s moving into a walk-in closet, they tell her she should be grateful because at least she’ll have a door. "I haven’t had a door since I moved to New York," one girl says, "I live in a studio with six other dancers."
The Tollbooth accurately depicts New York City’s art scene. As a waitress, Sarabeth observes that the creative types that she works with have been chasing their dreams to be professional working artists for the past 5 to 10 years—in the meantime they continue to wait tables. Sarabeth herself has a hard time with her art. Galleries couldn’t care less about her, and the professor who promised to help her make connections won’t return her calls.
But a career isn’t the only thing that plagues a young woman setting out on her life: Sarabeth’s boyfriend can be just as stressful. He suggests that Sarabeth move to the suburbs to be with him, and while she would enjoy paying cheaper rent, she could not bear the thought of leaving the city.
At a pivotal moment, when she feels like she’s deciding the rest of her life, Sarabeth hears the famously wise words of the Jewish sage Hillel and remembers her mother’s oft-repeated advice. Armed with the combined wisdom of her Jewish heritage and her family, Sarabeth is ready to forge ahead, making her own decisions and living her life the best she can, in her own way.
2004 in film
The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol...
) directed by Debra Kirschner about a young artist struggling to forge her own identity in the big city, while her Jewish parents keep watch from just over the bridge in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
.
Review
Recently out of art school, the lead character of the film, Sarabeth (Marla SokoloffMarla Sokoloff
Marla Lynne Sokoloff is an American actress and musician, known for playing the part of Lucy Hatcher on the TV show The Practice, and Gia Mahan on the ABC sitcom, Full House.- Personal life :...
) gets a job as a waitress and begins her struggle as a New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
artist. With her angsty and cynical personality, she doesn’t have much patience for her family—a nagging mother, a father who is always misquoting Kafka, one sister who just got pregnant with her sweet but dopey husband, and another sister who is ‘perfect’ until she announces she’s a lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
at Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah , , is the Jewish New Year. It is the first of the High Holy Days or Yamim Nora'im which occur in the autumn...
dinner. And then there’s her boyfriend Simon (Rob Mcelhenney), whose choice to live in the suburbs with a great sound system instead of hip and unpredictable New York has given Sarabeth doubts about their future together. She uses her canvas as an escape, where she can make sense of it all.
The Tollbooth tackles serious Jewish issues as they present themselves to a politically-liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
, anti-traditional, feminist post graduate. As frustrated as Sarabeth is that she grew up being constantly reminded of relatives who died in the Holocaust, and no matter how much she hates going to synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
, the truth is that she’s Jewish and she will always be Jewish. The struggle to escape her roots is impossible, so she’s forced to integrate a 5,000-year-old religion into her modern life.
This epiphany
Epiphany (feeling)
An epiphany is the sudden realization or comprehension of the essence or meaning of something...
comes to Sarabeth when she finds herself feeling out of place at a 4th of July
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
barbecue
Barbecue
Barbecue or barbeque , used chiefly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia is a method and apparatus for cooking meat, poultry and occasionally fish with the heat and hot smoke of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals of...
. She is a little-black-dress-wearing, wine drinking, daughter-of-an-anti-patriot; among pastel colors, beer and fire works. And ultimately considers herself a "sore thumb". But when she overhears one of the party’s guests make an anti-Semitic comment, and realizes she doesn’t want to fit it in to this crowd, and that she is proud of her heritage
Cultural heritage
Cultural heritage is the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or society that are inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future generations...
.
For those not familiar with socio-economic structure of New York City this film’s dialogue may came off as funny. However to viewers that have experienced life in the city, will understand that the living situations described are real. When Sarabeth tells her waitress friend that she’s moving into a walk-in closet, they tell her she should be grateful because at least she’ll have a door. "I haven’t had a door since I moved to New York," one girl says, "I live in a studio with six other dancers."
The Tollbooth accurately depicts New York City’s art scene. As a waitress, Sarabeth observes that the creative types that she works with have been chasing their dreams to be professional working artists for the past 5 to 10 years—in the meantime they continue to wait tables. Sarabeth herself has a hard time with her art. Galleries couldn’t care less about her, and the professor who promised to help her make connections won’t return her calls.
But a career isn’t the only thing that plagues a young woman setting out on her life: Sarabeth’s boyfriend can be just as stressful. He suggests that Sarabeth move to the suburbs to be with him, and while she would enjoy paying cheaper rent, she could not bear the thought of leaving the city.
At a pivotal moment, when she feels like she’s deciding the rest of her life, Sarabeth hears the famously wise words of the Jewish sage Hillel and remembers her mother’s oft-repeated advice. Armed with the combined wisdom of her Jewish heritage and her family, Sarabeth is ready to forge ahead, making her own decisions and living her life the best she can, in her own way.
Cast
- Marla SokoloffMarla SokoloffMarla Lynne Sokoloff is an American actress and musician, known for playing the part of Lucy Hatcher on the TV show The Practice, and Gia Mahan on the ABC sitcom, Full House.- Personal life :...
... Sarabeth Cohen - Tovah FeldshuhTovah FeldshuhTovah Feldshuh is an American actress, singer and playwright.-Early life:Terri Sue Feldshuh was born to a Jewish family in New York City, the daughter of Lillian and Sidney Feldshuh, who was a lawyer. She was raised in Scarsdale, New York, an affluent community in Westchester County and graduated...
... Ruthie Cohen - Ronald GuttmanRonald GuttmanRonald Guttman is a Belgian actor, theatrical producer and film producer.Guttman was born in Uccle. He has appeared in TV shows such as Lost, Lipstick Jungle, Heroes, The West Wing, and Sex and the City. He had a recurring role as Alexander Cambias, Sr...
... Isaac Cohen - Idina MenzelIdina MenzelIdina Kim Menzel is an American actress, singer and songwriter. She is widely known for originating the roles of Maureen in Rent and Elphaba in Wicked.-Early life:...
... Raquel Cohen-Flaxman - Rob McElhenneyRob McElhenneyRobert Dale "Rob" McElhenney is an American film and television actor best known for his role as Mac on the FX TV series It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia...
... Simon Stanton - Jayce BartokJayce BartokJayce Bartok is an American actor. A young leading man with TV and film experience, Bartok had his best chance to date as Pony, the rock star who returns to his home town where his pals are waiting in Richard Linklater's subUrbia . He wrote, directed and produced the short film Stricken in 2005...
... Howie Flaxma - Liz StauberLiz StauberLiz Stauber is an American actress. She attended North Central High School in Indianapolis, Indiana.-Selected filmography:Film*All Good Things as Sharon McCarthy*Shut Up and Sing as Michelle...
... Becky Cohen