-Written by Marty Coney.
2024 HOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL REVIEW!
What happens when a Jewish woman falls in love with a Gentile and wants to have kids? Is it right for the child to be circumcised or not if it's a boy? That is the question at the heart of Just the Tip.
Just the Tip is a short comedic documentary that follows Jessie Kahnweiler as she tries to wrestle with the idea of having a kid with her boyfriend Rufus, and whether or not circumcision is the right course of action if the child is a boy.
Jessie talks to a Rabbi about why circumcision has to be done and if it's not the thought of “will the child be less Jewish?” She tells the Rabbi of her concern about the procedure and her relationship with a non-Jew and tries to get spiritual guidance on the matter. It's a very light-hearted conversation that leaves her still questioning if she has a boy should he be circumcised?
Jessie then speaks to Cory who went through the procedure when he was 5-years old and the trauma it left him with. How he spent large portions of his life feeling uncomfortable and sore and if there was a way for his foreskin to grow back. It's a look at circumcision from the perspective of someone who thinks it shouldn't be done and that little boys should be left alone and not get cut.
Jessie then speaks to Merissa, a Jewish sex educator, who, like the Rabbi, thinks that circumcision should be done and men should suck it up and stop complaining. At this point in the documentary, I got a bit annoyed that people think it's okay to cut little boys and there is no trauma involved in being circumcised. I'm not Jewish, so I don't want to offend people's religious practices, but I am a man who believes people should only be put under the knife when it’s absolutely necessary–and trauma being joked about annoyed me a bit.
Jessie then meets with expectant dad, Jesse, whose son will not be getting circumcised. He tells her that he just wants a happy child who isn't cut and won't have to go through the pain and trauma of getting circumcised. Jesse and Cory give Jessie a different look at being a Jewish boy and how you don't need to get cut to be Jewish; you can still live up to the values and expectations of the faith, and that circumcision won't be a detriment to your faith.
Jessie speaks to a few more people about her thoughts and worries, including her parents, but it is a decision that she and Rufus will have to make if and when the time comes. Just the Tip is a fun, light-hearted documentary, but it does deserve a nuanced discussion on whether circumcision should be done to little boys. The trauma inflicted on the boys should be taken seriously and should be spoken about more.
All in all, I had a good time watching Just the Tip, it was funny and had serious moments. Jessie seems like a good person who just wants what is best for her future child/children and I hope she is happy with the choices she makes going forward.
Written & Directed by Jessie Kahnweiler.
9/10 = DROP EVERYTHING AND WATCH IT NOW
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