An American Pickle

In the quaint Eastern European town of Schlupsk, 1919, Herschel Greenbaum (Seth Rogen) toils away, laboring in the dirt with a shovel that repeatedly betrays him - its handle snapping off like a brittle twig and then, undeterred, continuing to hack at the earth with just the blade, only for it to split down the middle. Undaunted by his misfortunes, Herschel boards a horse-drawn cart, traveling in silence.

His path crosses Sarah's (Sarah Snook) at the bustling market, where she haggles over fish prices at the peddler's table. Her desperation tugs at his heartstrings, and he sets out to double his workload, presenting the peddler with a coin for the finest catch, which he promptly hands to Sarah, who devours it with relish, her eyes locking onto Herschel's in gratitude. As their love blossoms, they face the harsh reality of war, their wedding disrupted by Cossack invaders that ravage the town.

Hand in hand, the couple sets sail for America, seeking a better life where Sarah can finally afford her own grave and Herschel can indulge in seltzer water's effervescent delight. Upon arrival at Ellis Island, they're processed with relief, leaving behind the Cossacks and embracing the promise of a new land.

In Brooklyn, they settle into a modest apartment with peeling plaster ceilings, where Herschel toils away at a pickle factory, his boss assigning him the thankless task of dispatching rats with a club. Despite the hardships, they remain optimistic about achieving the American Dream, expecting their first child and plotting a future filled with promise.

Herschel's entrepreneurial spirit even inspires him to purchase a family plot, ensuring they'll be buried side by side - but his dreams are tempered by financial realities, leaving seltzer water an unattainable luxury. One fateful day, as Herschel approaches the colony of rats, he takes a step back, only for the wooden platform to give way, sending him tumbling into a vat of pickles.

The boss seals the lid on the condemned factory, announcing its closure to the stunned workforce. As the last of the employees depart, Herschel finds himself trapped in a pickle-filled hellhole.

A century later, two curious young boys explore the abandoned building, lifting the lid off the pickle vat with a creaky groan. As they gaze into the murky water, pickles bobbing to the surface like spectral presences, Herschel suddenly springs back to life, his anguished cry echoing through the deserted space. The startled boys flee in terror, leaving the resurrected Herschel to stir once more in the briny depths.

As the scientific community gathered for a press conference, Herschel (no last name provided) sat among them, clad in sterile white scrubs, his presence a testament to the remarkable preservation he had undergone. The team of experts presented their findings with charts and graphs, explaining how the pickle brine had perfectly preserved him, despite the passing of a century. Despite the convincing display, Herschel's eyes betrayed a deep sadness, his mind grappling with the reality that everything he had ever known was now lost to the sands of time.

As the scientists delved deeper into their research, they stumbled upon an old newspaper clipping bearing the obituary of Sarah, a name dear to Herschel's heart. His insistence that they recheck the records only led to frustration and eventually, violence. A punch thrown at one of the scientists was met with swift restraint by three men, who held Herschel firm.

As he lay on an examination table, the scientist broke the news to him: a living relative had been found - his great-grandson, Ben Greenbaum (Seth Rogen), a man of similar age and residence in Brooklyn. The news sent Herschel's emotions reeling as he was taken to meet his great-grandson.

Ben's apartment became the backdrop for an awkward reunion, with Herschel marveling at the modern contraptions that dotted the space, including the soda maker that whirred and hissed in the kitchen. Ben offered him a selection of milks - cow's, almond, pea, and more - but Herschel was too consumed by his emotions to fully appreciate the gesture.

For Herschel, family was everything; for Ben, it was little more than a distant memory. The disconnect between their values hung in the air like an unspoken challenge as they navigated this strange new world together.

Their journey took them to Sarah's grave, now nestled in a neglected plot of land on the outskirts of the cemetery. The once-pristine headstones were now strewn with garbage and overshadowed by a garish billboard. Herschel's anger boiled over at the lack of respect shown to his loved ones' final resting place, a sentiment only exacerbated by the presence of the Cossacks - as he saw it - who had come to post yet another ad on the billboard.

In a fit of rage, Herschelfuriously punched one of the workers, sending them crashing to the ground. Ben's attempts to intervene were met with equal force, as Herschel delivered a resounding backhand blow that left him reeling. The pair found themselves behind bars, their struggles to come to terms with this new world and their place within it far from over.

As Herschel's desperation to reach his financial goal of $200,000 intensifies, he finds himself driven by a singular focus: securing a cemetery plot for his beloved Sarah and their children. His determination is further fueled by the prospect of ridding his life of the constant reminder of his past - the billboard bearing their names. Meanwhile, Ben's fortunes take a drastic turn for the worse as his investor backs out, rendering his app, BoopBop, unable to launch. The once-confident entrepreneur delivers a scathing critique of Herschel, labeling him obsolete and unwanted. Seething with indignation, Herschel takes to the streets, determined to prove Ben wrong.

As he navigates the urban landscape, Herschel's eyes land on a peculiar sight: a cucumber selling for ninety cents apiece. Inspired by this unexpected discovery, he embarks on a mission to turn trash into treasure. Scouring the streets for discarded materials, he assembles a makeshift cart and begins scouring dumpsters for suitable fillings - discarded cucumbers, salt, and glass jars with lids. With no regard for sanitation or hygiene, Herschel arranges his finds in the park's picnic areas, filling the jars with rainwater-collected cucumbers, salt, and other scraps. As the days pass, his pickles become a surprise hit, attracting the attention of young, tech-savvy Generation Zers who see something refreshing in his antiquated approach.

As Herschel's fame grows, he becomes an unlikely internet sensation, with fans flocking to buy his handcrafted pickles. Riding in a taxi, Ben can't help but watch as Herschel lambasts him for being stupid, while the eccentric entrepreneur shares his secrets with the public - from using refuse as ingredients to collecting rainwater that's been nourished by bird droppings and other natural wonders.

Ben seizes the opportunity to sabotage Herschell's operation, reporting anonymously to the Health Department. The authorities shut down Herschel's makeshift pickle stand until he can bring his business up to code and pay his taxes. Undeterred, Herschel's two biggest fans encourage him to legitimize his operation and seek out interns. He soon finds himself surrounded by young people eager to learn the art of selecting and pickling cucumbers, adhering to sanitary standards, and donning gloves.

Among these new recruits is Clara (Molly Evenson), who becomes Herschel's trusted assistant. Ben's indignation reaches a boiling point when he spots the interns selling jars of pickles outside his favorite restaurant, a constant reminder that Herschel has not only turned his trash into treasure but also managed to outmaneuver him at every turn.

As Herschel (character) gleefully informs Ben that his mischievous endeavors have led to the demise of the billboard, Ben astutely recognizes an opportunity for chaos to unfold. He persuades Herschel that embracing the digital realm by creating a Twitter account would be the perfect platform for the elder's unfiltered musings and opinions on life. Ben is well aware that this impulsive decision would precipitate a public relations catastrophe, given Herschel's propensity for tactless remarks. With Clara in tow, Herschel dictates a series of tweets replete with his unconventional views, demonstrating a blatant disregard for the consequences.

The following morning, Herschel awakens to find himself surrounded by a group of protesters in the park, whom he mistakenly perceives as potential customers. This time, Clara joins the fray, holding a sign that further fuels the fire of controversy. As a result, Herschel's actions are perceived as strategic by the media, leading to an unexpected surge in his political following.

As the stakes grow higher, Herschel is invited to participate in a debate against Dr. Kim Ecklund (Joanna Adler), a university professor. Unbeknownst to the elder, Ben takes it upon himself to disguise his voice and appearance from the back row, posing an incisive question about Christian prayer in public schools. The ensuing backlash sparks outrage, prompting the media to dig deeper into Herschel's past.

In a stunning turn of events, it becomes apparent that Herschel's immigration records from over a century ago are nowhere to be found, and as a result, his citizenship is revoked and an Order of Deportation against him is issued. In a desperate bid for assistance, Herschel breaks into Ben's residence, imploring one final favor: to transport him to Canada, where he can start anew and leave his troubles behind.

As they embark on their perilous journey, the unlikely duo forms an unexpected bond. They lay low in the snowy woods at the Canadian border, carefully avoiding detection by the authorities. However, when Ben reveals that he was instrumental in exposing Herschel's antics to the authorities, great-grandpa unleashes a fierce punch to Ben's nose and lets out a vociferous tirade, drawing the attention of the Canadian police.

As Herschel (bravely) commandeered Ben's backpack, he sought refuge beneath a fallen tree, whereupon he discovered a shaver and transformed his countenance by shedding his facial hair. Donning altered attire and brandishing Ben's ID, he introduced himself as the latter, proudly proclaiming that his great-grandson was none other than Herschel. The ruse proved convincing enough to earn him passage to Schlupsk, where the biting chill of the unforgiving climate was only tempered by the silence that shrouded the streets - a silence broken solely by the occasional murmur of an unintelligible language.

As he navigated this alien landscape, Herschel chanced upon a kindly soul who grasped his meaning and directed him to seek solace within the local synagogue. It was here, surrounded by warmth and the humble comforts of a makeshift bed, that the old men welcomed him into their fold, inviting him to join in the ancient ritual of prayer. The unfamiliar cadence stirred something deep within Herschel, imbuing him with a profound appreciation for the world his ancestors had left behind.

Meanwhile, back in Brooklyn's bustling streets, Ben (pensively) delved into an old photo album, only to stumble upon a poignant reminder of his childhood: a whimsical stick figure drawing of his family, replete with endearments like "Boop" and "Bop." This nostalgic discovery served as a poignant epiphany for Herschel, who realized that Ben's affinity for family was not merely a passing fancy, but an integral aspect of his being.

As Herschel traversed the distance back to Schlupsk, he finally reunited with Ben within the synagogue. It was here, on the very bench where they had once shared tender moments together, that they began to discuss their future endeavors - plans for collaborative pickling ventures and Internet marketing campaigns designed to showcase their wares to a global audience.