American Pickle, An

Director: Brandon Trost
Year Released: 2020
Rating: 1.5

Dirt poor Hershel (Seth Rogan), who lives with his beloved wife (Sarah Snook) in Eastern Europe, comes to America with the dream of becoming 'powerful' but a work place 'accident' leaves him pickled for close to a century - when he's 'revived' in present day Brooklyn, he finds his wife and children have passed long ago but he has a surviving relative: Ben (also played by Rogan).  It's a fairly dumb Canadian-out-of-brine story that is almost entirely Seth talking to himself until the last third when really becomes political (groan), bringing up topics like gender norms, taxes and Christianity (the Magnificat can be 'read' multiple ways ... just sayin') and setting off the Outrage Brigade (who are always looking for something to pretend to be upset about).  I must admit that when believer Hershel and atheist Ben reunite over prayer at the end it is oddly touching: you don't have to be a fanatic about religion, but is it so wrong to try to believe in something greater than yourself?  Also, bonus points awarded for no weed jokes.