KEEPING THE FAITH
Rated PG-13 - Running Time: 2:09 - Released 4/14/00
We have all heard some priest/rabbi stories in our time, but Keeping
The Faith, directed by Edward Norton and written by Stuart
Blumberg, may be the best I've ever encountered. It's real, it's
heartwarming, it's intelligent, and the chemistry between its
three leads (Norton, Ben Stiller, and Jenna Elfman) is the most
electric I've seen in ages. Norton, having shown his acting talent
before in Primal Fear, The People vs. Larry Flynt,
and American History X (all three of which garnered him
award nominations), shows immense promise in his first outing
as director/producer; Stiller, best known for his self-named TV
show and There's Something
About Mary, shows he is able to meet the challenge of
a more serious romantic lead; and Elfman, currently appearing
in the popular TV show Dharma & Greg, is the perfect
third in this quirky triangle. Although its trailers make it look
like a silly comedy about an unlikely love affair, Blumberg's
script for Keeping The Faith touches on some untrodden
ground, weaving modern American work ethics with some fasinating
social and religious issues. And an unlikely love affair.
Jake, Brian, and Anna were the three best friends in their
New York City elementary school. Dubbing themselves "two
micks and a yid," they were inseparable until her family
suddenly moved to L.A. and the boys were left alone. Cut to 20
or so years later. Having lost contact with Anna, Jake and Brian,
who are still best friends, become the most popular and controversial
rabbi and priest in New York City, approaching their jobs in the
style of stand-up comedians. Although their new-age approach doesn't
always thrill their older colleagues, they achieve a kind of local
fame, increasing the sizes of their congregations until they're
packing every seat (or pew). And then Anna comes back into town.
Anna, who has changed from a freckle-faced 10-year-old to a
smart, savvy, sexy professional woman, is in town to work on a
local project for her company. Although her business consulting
occupation, which renders her too busy for a social life, is never
clearly discussed, she refers to herself as "a plumber who
fixes leaky corporations." Her arrival, and the resulting
rebirth of mutual love between the three, causes them all to wonder
if their life path choices were made in error.
While the idea of a rabbi falling in love with a Gentile, or
a priest considering giving up the cloth to pursue romance, or
an upwardly mobile professional deciding to chuck it all for love,
may be trite, conventional elements, somehow Blumberg's script
makes it all seem workable, and Norton's deft direction draws
out the charm in these three actors. Although Elfman had not particularly
impressed me before (Krippendorf's
Tribe is definitely not a good showcase), her magnetism
is irresistable. She and Norton and Stiller are able to capture
somehow on film the kind of fun, easy pleasure derived from being
with a best friend, and the awkward discomfort that is inevitable
when sex enters the picture. Also notable are supporting performances
by Anne Bancroft as Jake's mother, Eli Wallach as the mature but
sympathetic Rabbi Lewis, and noted director Milos Forman (One
Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Man
On The Moon) as the wise, ever-forgiving Father Havel.
Lastly, this film is not just a romance, although it can function on that level. Keeping The Faith also deals with many complex religious issues; the sermons are some of the most important, interesting sections to watch. It's a unique blend of charisma, wisdom, and emotion, rendered in a most appealing package. ****½