A couple weeks ago, my friend casually mentioned in conversation that their parents were antisemitic. They had been talking to their parents about the toxic behavior of a mutual acquaintance of ours, who happens to be Jewish, and their parents responded by saying something along the lines of, “Of course. She’s a Jew.” After relaying this nonchalantly, my friend kept talking, moving on to other subjects. At the time I was too surprised to react, but, at the late hours of the night, I began to spiral. I knew my friend didn’t share their parents’ views, but the ease with which they mentioned antisemitism and quickly moved on landed uncomfortably. 

Getting older inherently means becoming more aware of the world, but since I live in a very Jewish suburb of NYC, the implicit antisemitism in larger societal contexts frequently shocks me. It is apparent in our old and new media. From the employment of overt stereotypes in the character of Fagin in Oliver Twist to the more subtle reinforcement through the Sapersteins in Parks and Rec, popular media of various centuries hinges on the villainization of Jews in order to make compelling story arcs. 

Nowhere is this more apparent than 2022’s Do Revenge, a delightful reanimation of the teen movie genre which is laden with Easter eggs from 1990s hits…that just so happens to star an immoral, manipulative, intentionally Jewish antagonist. Set in an elite Northeast private school, the film portrays a journey of empowerment and—you guessed it—revenge for the two main characters, Eleanor and Drea. In short, they enact elaborate schemes to punish the people in each other’s lives who caused them harm. The film intentionally highlights a diverse cast and is inclusive in terms of race, sexuality, income, and more. In direct contrast, however, lies Max Broussard, the high school’s “king.”  

Max embodies many of the worst stereotypes that Jews face: they’re controlling, able to brainwash the public into following their leadership, and innately immoral. He is bolstered by the funds of his wealthy family, wields elite political connections, and can manipulate any situation to his liking—especially through the use of performative activism. He is also revealed to be a sexual predator, which he lies about. Furthermore, the climax of the movie features an intoxicated villain’s monologue, where Max uses the Yiddish word “kvelling”—being happy and proud—in regards to the aftermath of his abhorrent choices. In this scene, he even wears an open shirt framing a Magen David necklace. 

His admissions—manipulation, harassment, making his girlfriend create a sextape that he then leaks, and the utter lack of remorse that he exhibits—become intertwined with the necklace, a glinting item in the otherwise dark evening setting. Thus, his villainism and his Judaism are linked, despite him never explicitly identifying himself. 

And yet, there are many Jews who are relieved by this portrayal, desperate for some representation that extends beyond the typical awkward Jewish nerd of sitcom and film canon, like Jim Levenstein of American Pie or Howard Wolowitz of The Big Bang Theory. In both these shows, Judaism is a punchline but not a fully explored aspect of identity. The former is played by a man who “jokes his career could end if folks realize he isn’t Jewish.”  

In Do Revenge, Max, though utterly and undeniably problematic, is young and conventionally attractive. Played by Austin Abrams, who does identify as Jewish, this character dispels some of this narrative, even if it relies on another trope—Jews as antagonists—in its place. 

It is notable that Max is not the only Jew in the film…theoretically. His sister Gabbi also has a prominent role in the plot’s arc. She has clear ethical stances and the ability to look beyond the bigoted views of her classmates. From her clothing choices to the representation she shows for queer girls, like me, on screen, she quickly became one of my favorite characters. However, unlike Max, whose Judaism is prominently displayed on his chest, Gabbi has no explicit ties to her Judaism. 

Even beyond the content of the movie, its connection to the book Strangers on a Train (1950) poses many questions. The novel shares many of Do Revenge’s features, especially the premise of two people completing each other’s “revenges,” which, in the novel’s case, means murders. The book is read by one of the two protagonists in a scene of the movie (an Easter egg? a type of crediting?), and it is unclear how much it influenced the film script. It definitely appears to be an inspiration. However, the author of this book, Patricia Highsmith, was deeply antisemitic and a self-proclaimed “Jew hater.” The specifics of her comments are disturbing and will thus be left out of this piece. However, the connection here is not lost, especially to its young Jewish audience, who is left reeling. The creators of the movie have made no comments around this issue, only increasing the discomfort. 

There are many things to love about this movie, from its vibrant wardrobe, to the self-aware fourth-wall breaking narrations, to the playful callbacks to Clueless and Mean Girls. The cast is incredibly talented, and the plot is intricate. To critique this work is not to negate its merits, but to express profound disappointment at its portrayal of Judaism. Their choices appear subtle, and many viewers may not even notice the messages while watching this movie. Were I not Jewish, I can’t say for sure that I would have. But that makes it even more harmful. In a society that already normalizes antisemitism in regular conversation amidst my own friends and on the Internet, the importance of proper representation becomes all the more important. I look forward to the day when looking for Jewish characters does not mean selecting which trope makes me feel least uncomfortable.