Katelyn Benschoter-

The genre of suspense is typically associated with psychological and even horror films. Film viewers may think of films like Silence of the Lambs or The Conjuring when they hear the genre of suspense mentioned. However, one of the best suspense films I have ever seen is not a horror film, but a short drama/comedy film. And get this, no one dies! The film is Emma Seligman’s Shiva Baby (2020). This is a very short film of only 1 hour and 7 minutes, but it is filled to the brim with plot and suspense. The film stars Rachel Sennott as Danielle, who arguably has one of the worst days of her life. Everything that could have gone wrong, probably did for her in this film. Some have said this film dances on the line of comedy and horror. It’s not a classic horror film plot, but what Danielle goes through is still terrifying. 

Danielle is a college student who is the epitome of being the “family disappointment”. She is studying gender studies, which her family cannot seem to understand and she has no plans for her life post-college. She then finds herself at a Jewish funeral with her parents and has to tell her nonexistent post-grad plans to all of her extended relatives. To make matters worse, she finds out that her sugar daddy and her ex-girlfriend are both attendees of the event. Danielle then has to jump through hoops to make sure that her worlds do not collide. She is set into an instant panic. A simple outing with her parents has now become her worst nightmare. What else could go wrong? Unfortunately, many things go wrong, and this is merely the beginning of Danielle’s unfortunate day.

As I mentioned prior, audience members do not typically think of indie dramas as suspense films, but this one certainly is. Justine Orlovsky-Schnitzler from Lilith.com called this film “The Perfect Panic Attack.” A big reason this film is so suspenseful and anxiety-inducing is because it feels so current-day real. Now, I think the odds of Danielle’s exact circumstance happening to someone else are slim, but the feeling of being a disappointment and stumbling through your twenties is a very real feeling. Society often forgets just how young twenty is; it makes sense to be confused and make mistakes at that age. Another contribution to the suspense is the usage of very tight and close-up camera shots. This results in a claustrophobic feeling in the viewer. All of the rooms at the funeral are very crowded. Combining the crowdedness with tight shots it creates a very anxious feeling in the viewer. Shiva Baby also utilizes an excellent score that further helps blur the lines between drama and horror. The film is filled with string instruments to build tension in every scene. Shiva Baby has mastered the art of a suspense film, Seligman took what could have been a hilarious string of errors and instead made a dark and claustrophobic film. It is pure genius. 

There are many wonderful cinematic elements that helped shape the genius of this film. My favorite aspect of this film was Rachel Sennott’s acting. Sennott is known for films like Bottoms, I Used to Be Funny, and Bodies, Bodies, Bodies. She is excellent in all of them; I cannot say enough good things about her acting, and I believe she is going to be one of the actresses that define the 2020s. One of Sennott’s strong suits when it comes to acting is her timing. Whether it is for comedy purposes or for a gut-wrenchingly sad scene, her timing is always spot on and makes the scene. In Shiva Baby, Sennott takes on a leading role and the audience follows her perspective throughout the entire film. She is charmingly awkward as she crafts a bagel and lox only to not eat it – just to avoid her ex-girlfriend. 

Genres are what divides films into categories and over time, we learn to expect certain things when we see these genres. Shiva Baby challenges the genre of suspense. It is not a typical horror film that keeps you guessing until the very end, but rather it is dramatic and funny. Shiva Baby is a perfect ball of stress that infuses many genres. Through the use of tight camera angles, a perfect score, and great acting, I truly believe it is the perfect suspense film.