An American Pickle review: Seth Rogen’s new movie is a must-watch on HBO Max

HBO Max’s new Seth Rogen comedy movie An American Pickle

On first consideration, the title of HBO Max’s newest original comedy movie seems weird to even say out loud. Who names their movie An American Pickle?

Its surface-level silliness, especially with the knowledge of its pickle-based plot points, nearly drowns out any other latent meaning that could be gleaned from the title, but it’s there. An American Pickle suggests a tough but menial problem, a dilemma desired to be solved and worked around. It’s an understatement to say that America’s currently in a bit of a pickle, but the optimistic tones throughout this film keep hope alive by never straying from its quest for a solution.

HBO Max’s Seth Rogen vehicle, An American Pickle, makes up for a plot that constantly shifts gears by offering up some good gags about generational dissonance and surprisingly strong pathos regarding family.

We open on Herschel Greenbaum (a bearded Rogen), ditch-digger in early 20th century Eastern Europe. His monotonous and constantly humbling life stirs when his eyes fall upon Sarah (recently Emmy-nominated HBO prodigal daughter Sarah Snook), and the two decide to accomplish their dreams together.

Herschel upgrades to working in a pickle factory before stumbling into a vat of pickle juice, in which he is preserved for a century. Faster than you can say Demolition Man, the story cuts to 2019, where he awakens and meets his great-grandson Ben (a trimmed Rogen). Ben is…pretty OK with this newly-arrived ancestor, happy to host his great-grandpa in his millenialtastic apartment for as long as Herschel needs.

It’s not long before Pickle Man wants to know about their shared relatives, which app developer Ben doesn’t feel particularly comfortable brining in for too long. The two are driven further apart by their differences, both physical and emotional, and must figure out how to live together while weathering with the inextricable bonds they have.

At its best, An American Pickle grapples rather pointedly with the dynamics of family. At the start, the film’s centerpiece odd couple seem unsure (Ben through repression of trauma, Herschel through the wonders of the pickle) about how to face each other head-on. But as is wont to happen, they discover what it means to be attached to a person to whom they’re related by blood. The movie is most effective in the moments when the dueling Rogens are allowed the space to give in and examine their own conceptions about how a family should be.

An American Pickle offsets these sweet moments of pathos by audaciously tackling the culture of present-day America. Ben chalks up the heel-dragging with his app business (rightfully so) to Herschel’s outspoken antics. In revenge, Ben attempts to employ his knowledge of modern life toward his great-grandfather’s detriment. The consequences of Ben’s tactics spread to a national scale, but the reactions of the populous prove unpredictable and inconsistent, at times escalating beyond the comprehension and control of Ben himself.

Two examples: When Ben sends Herschel out on his own, Herschel reverts to his impulses and starts his own pickle business. This backfires in Ben’s face, as Herschel’s business goes viral, ironically, for reviving the artisanal pickle in (where else?) Brooklyn, New York. However, Ben proves to be more than capable in later efforts to thwart Herschel, which range from the landscape of social media to a high-profile court case (featuring two outstanding cameos) invoking illegal alien politics.

To be frank, the opinion in which America sees Herschel in the second act zooms back and forth between intense love and hate fairly frequently. At times, it feels like the film employs an oversimplification of extreme outrage/stan culture beyond reasonable belief, reflecting reactionary politics when it fits the plot mechanics in lieu of devoting itself to a deeper portrayal of the grey areas of American culture.

All of this is to say that ultimately, this is but a Seth Rogen comedy, and An American Pickle is buoyed by the performance(s) of its lead. Rogen’s Herschel and Ben ground the movie’s strong emotional climax that feels realistic and earned in its warmness. Rogen also deftly underlines points of humor in his characters, equating the hilarity of Herschel’s relatable quixotic vendetta against capitalism to the high cultural capital the modern human places on stupidly-named apps. I’ll remember Rogen’s face of wonder at seeing a particular kitchen appliance for a while.

An American Pickle has a lot on its plate, which is pretty unique for the creators of movies like the Neighbors series and Sausage Party. It’s worth checking out for Rogen alone, as his performance provides a funny, soft comfort, which are seemingly becoming fewer and farther between as this life goes on. But An American Pickle is a more than welcome filmic respite, touching on family morals that will always be kept dear and preserved for generations to come. Just sometimes not with pickle brine.