An American Pickle

> "*This is what we're reaching for everybody. This is the dream. This is the goal. Perfect jar of pickles*."
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> ― Herschel Greenbaum
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**An American Pickle** is an American comedy-drama film directed by American cinematographer and screenwriter Brandon Trost (in his solo directorial debut) and written by Simon Rich, based on his short story, "Sell Out".

The film stars Seth Rogen, Sarah Snook, Eliot Glazer, Jorma Taccone, Kalen Allen, Molly Evensen, and Kevin O'Rourke.

Originally intended to be released by Sony Pictures, the film's rights were sold to Warner Bros. in April 2020. It was digitally released in the United States on August 6, 2020, the first original film released by HBO Max, and theatrically in the United Kingdom the following day. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, with Rogen's dual performance being praised.

## **Synopsis**

An immigrant worker at a pickle factory is accidentally preserved for 100 years and wakes up in modern-day Brooklyn.

## **Official 'HBO Max' Description**

> "*It’s 1919, and Herschel Greenbaum (Seth Rogen) is a struggling but upbeat laborer who immigrates to America determined to build a bright future for his beloved, growing family. One day, while working at his factory job, Herschel falls into a vat of pickles…where he’s trapped for 100 years. Luckily, the brine preserves him perfectly, and when he emerges in present-day Brooklyn, he finds that he hasn’t aged a day. When Herschel connects with his only surviving relative, his great-grandson Ben (also played by Rogen), an easygoing app developer, the pair’s attempts to bridge their 100-year gap lead them to reconsider the true meaning of family – and the value of a really good pickle*."
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## **Cast**

* Seth Rogen as Herschel Greenbaum / Ben Greenbaum
* Sarah Snook as Sarah Greenbaum
* Eliot Glazer as Christian
* Jorma Taccone as Liam
* Kalen Allen as Kevin
* Molly Evensen as Clara
* Kevin O'Rourke as Dane Brunt
* Joanna P. Adler as Professor Kim Ecklund
* Sean Whalen as Scientist
* Geoffrey Cantor as David Greenbaum
* Carol Leifer as Susan Greenbaum
* Marsha Stephanie Blake as Inspector Sanders
* Liz Cackowski as Susan O’Malley
* Tim Robinson as Prosecuting Attorney
* Betsy Sodaro as Defense Attorney

## **Production**

### Development

Seth Rogen and Simon Rich began to discuss the idea for the film as early as 2007. On May 29, 2013, it was announced that Sony Pictures had acquired the screen rights to the short story "*Sell Out* " by Rich. Producers were set to consist of Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and James Weaver, while Rich was expected to serve as an executive producer. Production companies involved with the film were slated to include Point Grey Pictures.

On September 27, 2018, it was announced that Brandon Trost was attached to direct the film, that Rich would write the film, and that additional producers now included Alexandria McAtee.

Alongside the directing announcement, it was confirmed that the film would star Rogen. On November 26, 2018, it was announced that Maya Erskine, Sarah Snook, Eliot Glazer, Kalen Allen, Molly Evensen, and Kevin O'Rourke had joined the cast (although Erskine ultimately did not appear in the film).

### Filming

Principal photography took place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from October 29 to December 22, 2018. Pittsburgh was a fitting locale for filming due to the longtime presence of locally-based H.J. Heinz Company and the company's long association with pickles, including the Heinz pickle pin.

## **Reception**

### Critical

On review aggregator *Rotten Tomatoes*, the film holds an approval rating of 73% based on 152 reviews, with an average rating of 6.13/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "*An American Pickle* lacks the tart snap viewers might expect given its creative premise, but Seth Rogen's dual performance makes this a low-key comedy to relish." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 58 out of 100, based on 39 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".

Writing for *The Hollywood Reporter*, David Rooney said: "*An American Pickle* is neither the most substantial nor the most sophisticated comedy, but its soulful sweetness outweighs its flaws." Barry Hertz of *The Globe and Mail* gave the film three out of four stars and wrote: "[Rogen] also manages to make the film's har-har dual-role conceit work beyond mere shtick. There is Herschel, and there is Ben, and Rogen plays each one of them with a decidedly unique energy. Meanwhile, director Brandon Trost, a longtime cinematographer for such Rogen films as *Neighbors* and *The Interview*, makes the mensch-on-mensch action seem as real as can be."

Owen Gleiberman of *Variety* called the film "too cantankerous to be funny and too preposterous to believe" and wrote that "*An American Pickle*, in its ethnically satirical and scattered way, lacks the integrity of its own ridiculousness. It's pungent but flavorless: an unkosher dill.

## **Trivia**

* This is the first Seth Rogen-produced film that is not rated R by the MPAA.
* The film's poster was taken with a well-preserved camera made in the 19th century.
* *An American Pickle* is based upon Simon Rich's short story, "Sell Out", released in 2013.
	+ In *Sell Out*, a fictionalized version of the author, Simon Rich, gets confronted by his great-great-grandfather, after this pickle factory worker is found in a barrel of pickle brine, a hundred years after having fallen into it in an accident. Jealousy, disgust, and annoyance from both sides follow.
		- The novella was first published as a four-part serialization by *The New Yorker*.
			* Simon Rich, the author of the original novella, also wrote the film's screenplay.
* With the help of body doubles and green screens, actor Seth Rogen shot his scenes as Herschel first then as Ben after shaving and getting his hair done.