Putzel

All is not well at Himmelstein’s House of Lox in New York. Walter “Putzel” Himmelstein, heir apparent to the Himmelstein smoked fish empire, is having yet another crisis. He is pathologically unable to go beyond the boundaries of the Upper West Side. His Uncle Sid refuses to retire and give him the keys to the store. His ex-wife is flaunting her relationship with a local goon. The neighborhood ladies still regard him as the endearing schlub who hasn’t matured since his days growing up behind the store counter. Indeed, Putzel seems to be living up to everybody’s low expectations. But one day a beautiful dancer walks into their lives — and she really knows her lox from her Nova. While Uncle Sid lusts after her, Walter senses she might be his ticket to a life beyond 59th Street. PUTZEL is a sweet, good-natured indie comedy that features Jack T. Carpenter and Melanie Lynskey as the mismatched couple. – B.B.