Rachel Sennott has cemented her reputation as one of Hollywood’s most captivating comedic talents. While her gift for biting satire was brilliantly showcased in the 2023 hit Bottoms—which she co-wrote with director Emma Seligman—her roots in sharp, observational humor run deep, stretching back to her 2020 web series Ayo and Rachel are Single, created alongside her frequent collaborator Ayo Edebiri.
It would be a mistake to pigeonhole Sennott as a one-note performer. Her nuanced turns in projects like Bodies Bodies Bodies, I Used To Be Funny, and her HBO series I Love LA reveal a performer capable of immense emotional depth. Yet, if you want to understand the project that truly put her on the map, look no further than Seligman’s 2020 breakout, Shiva Baby—a masterclass in high-stakes anxiety that demands a watch (or a rewatch) before it cycles off Netflix.
In Shiva Baby, Sennott portrays Danielle, a college student who finds herself trapped at a somber shiva with her well-meaning but suffocating parents. While the premise originated in a taut 2018 short film, the feature-length adaptation expands the narrative’s claustrophobic potential, masterfully weaving in the complex dynamics between Danielle, her “sugar daddy” Max (Danny Deferrari), and her former flame, Maya (Molly Gordon).
The film captures the agonizing, almost horror-like intensity of being forced into social performance while your private life unravels. Danielle’s day spirals into catastrophe as she attempts to dodge invasive questions about her future, all while navigating the gut-wrenching reality that her secret lover, Max, is present with his wife and child.
Image: UtopiaWatching Danielle retreat into the safety of the buffet line to mask her panic is both hilariously relatable and deeply uncomfortable. Seligman has a preternatural ability to highlight the stifling nature of these environments, forcing the audience to oscillate between cringing at Danielle’s desperate improvisations and desperately wishing for her to find an exit.
Sennott’s performance, which earned her a Gotham Award nomination, is the glue holding this chaotic, high-pressure house of cards together. She communicates volumes through a flustered expression or a performative smile, balancing the absurdity of her situation with raw, palpable vulnerability. Maya’s sudden presence only heightens the stakes, turning the gathering into a pressure cooker of conflicting expectations.
Image: UtopiaBeyond the laughs, Shiva Baby is a piercing examination of the expectations imposed on the younger generation. It highlights how the best-intentioned parental interference can often feel like a total invalidation of the self. By grounding these anxieties in a dark, eccentric comedy, Seligman achieves something truly special.
Ultimately, the film succeeds by turning internal turmoil into external spectacle. It stands alongside high-intensity dramas like The Exterminating Angel and Uncut Gems—a stressful, brilliant, and unmissable cinematic experience.
Shiva Baby is currently available to stream on Netflix.
Source: Polygon
