By Nate Bloom
Contributing Columnist
The Olympics (7/28-8/11) are being shown on NBC and on Peacock, a streaming service owned by NBC. The all-star U.S. men’s basketball team is very likely to appear in the gold medal game (8/10) — and a case can be made that the best player on the team — or on the planet — is Stephen (“Steph”) Curry, 36. He plays point guard for the Golden State Warriors.
It’s no accident that a new Peacock series, co-starring Curry in his acting debut, premieres on August 8. This six-episode comedic “mockumentary” series is entitled “Mr. Throwback.” Here’s the premise in the words of NBC: “A down-on-his luck memorabilia dealer (ADAM PALLY, 42) looks for redemption by reuniting with his six-grade teammate” (Curry).
The official trailer offers more detail: Danny Grossman (Pally) was the basketball team star when he and Curry were in middle school. He was also the coolest kid in the school and something of a mentor to Steph. But things go south for Danny. The trailer referred to Danny, as an adult, as “a train wreck.” I gathered, from the trailer, that a documentary is being made about Curry, but he insists that Danny, his old friend, be a major character in this documentary.
Of course, Danny Grossman is a very Jewish name. But I don’t know if he’s identified as Jewish in the series. I can say that the guys “behind the curtain” are Jewish.
The series was created by, and was written by Pally, DAVID CASPE, 45, MATTHEW LIBMAN, 45ish, and his brother, DANIEL LIBMAN, also 45ish. All six episodes were directed by DAVID WAIN, 54.
I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and Curry is almost idolized here. He’s almost perfect: a great player who is always courteous, a model family man, and a generous philanthropist. Bay Area Jews got excited when Curry got a tattoo in Hebrew on his arm in 2015. Turns out, it was a quotation from the New Testament that translates “love will never fail.” When asked, Curry said he didn’t read Hebrew. However, his mother, a devout Christian, did study Hebrew for at least four years.
“Borderlands” is a sci-fi action comedy film that opens in theaters on Aug. 9. It was directed by, and co-written by ELI ROTH, 52 (The film’s script is based on a video game series of the same name). Roth is best known for his hit horror films (“Cabin Fever” and “Hostel” are the most famous).
Cate Blanchett plays Lily, an infamous outlaw who forms an unexpected alliance with a team of misfits to find the missing daughter of the most powerful man in the universe. Her crew includes Claptrack, a robot (voiced by JACK BLACK, 54); Dr. Patricia Tannis (JAMIE LEE CURTIS, 65); and Mad Moxxi (GINA GERSHON, 61).
One note: Ariana Greenblatt, 16, an up-and-coming actress, plays another crew member. I didn’t just miss her. I know Greenblatt is a very Jewish name. Ariana’s paternal grandfather was her only Jewish “grand” and that seems to be her only Jewish tie.
“It Ends with Us” also opens in theaters on Aug. 9. It is based on a best-selling 2016 novel of the same name. As the film opens, Lily Bloom (Blake Lively) has just moved to Boston to open her florist shop. Just before her move, her mother tells Lily that Lily’s late father secretly physically abused her.
In Boston, Lily meets Ryle, a handsome neurosurgeon. By coincidence, Allysa (JENNY SLATE, 42), Ryle’s sister, goes to work for Lily and they become best friends.
Long story short: Ryle turns out to be a wife abuser, too. Lily forgives the first time he gets physical with her and she ultimately marries him and has a child with him. I won’t disclose how things go after they marry. I will reveal that Allysa supports Lily throughout her problems with Ryle.
“One Fast Move” is an original Amazon film which begins streaming on Aug. 8. The lead character is Wes Miller, a dishonorably discharged soldier who reconnects with his estranged father in pursuit of his dream to become a pro motorcycle racer. Along the way, he meets two important people: a small-town singer who becomes his love interest and emotional support, and a motorcycle shop owner who mentors Wes in life and racing.
KJ Apa, 27, plays Wes. This New Zealander is the son of a Samon father and a European mother. ERIC DANE, 51, co-stars as Dean Miller, Wes’s father. His many credits include playing Mark Sloan on “Grey’s Anatomy” and Cal Jacobs on “Euphoria.” Dane’s mother is Jewish. He was raised Jewish and he had a bar mitzvah.