Sadly Over-hyped

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

Keeping the Faith is a nice little romantic comedy that stars the iconic Ben Stiller and Edward Norton with the lesser-known Jenna Elfman. This had the potential to be as iconic as the stars, but it tries to take the safe way out by not putting enough emphasis on the love triangle bit and putting to much on the normal love situation. But for what it is, it is worth the watch.Ben Stiller and Edward Norton are awesome as always as lifelong best friends who know that their calling is to preach in their religions: Judaism and Christianity. Both use their own hip methods and soon fill up their parishes and become a rock star-like rabbi and priest. It is really cool to see them hone their crafts in their respective places. I myself go to church and I really wish I had a priest like Norton. If I were Jewish, I'd wish for a rabbi like Stiller. Although I am not Jewish, Stiller's bits in the temple are just as cool as Norton's bits in the church. When they were kids for a few years, their best friend was Anna and they were inseparable. When Anna moves back both Norton and Stiller vie for her, which puts their friendship and faiths on the line. Stiller needs to marry a Jewish woman in order to be the next head of the synagogue, but is not ready to risk it by being with Anna who is not Jewish. Norton can't marry, but is ready to quit the priesthood and be with Anna. That sounds like a good plot line for the movie. She loves them both, but is in love with Stiller. That is where the movie is weak. What would make for a better plot line is would be if she fell in love with both of them. Maybe in unison, but still. They way that it works out is that a love triangle is just a tiny bit of a backdrop and most of the story is Stiller contemplating risking his status as a rabbi. Nothing wrong with that, but the love triangle had so much potential that just resulted in a big cop-out. That is what makes the ending so predictable. With Anna having the same amount of love for both guys the stakes would be higher, tension would grow, excitement would elevate, there'd be more originality and would probably be more funny. But what it does have is good. It is romantic, funny, and delivers good messages in faith and religions. I would recommend buying this movie, but it is worth seeing if it happens to be shown on TV.

Keeping the Faith (2000): Dir: Edward Norton / Cast: Ben Stiller, Edward Norton, Jenna Elfman, Anne Bancroft, Eli Wallach: Interesting concept marred by predictable circumstances. Title refers not just to the spiritual aspect between the two main male characters but also the bond between three friends. Edward Norton, Ben Stiller and Jenna Elfman play childhood friends until Elfman and her family moved away. Norton became a Priest and Stiller became a Rabbi. When Elfman returns she will come between the guys. Norton secretly had a crush on her but she becomes involved with Stiller. There are questionable elements about religion. As director Norton's shots are too conventional but the performances by Stiller and Norton himself are on target. Their friendship and faiths are tested but as predicted, their friendship maintains. Elfman is unfortunately reduced to a dimwitted romantic prop serving no other purpose other than to wedge between the two males and cause friction. Anne Bancroft is also featured but is terribly underused. As his directing debut one can say that Norton's talent is best represented in front of the camera as oppose to behind it. There is no way this can end on a pleasant note but thankfully it does end. It stresses the value of friendship and love that should penetrate when everything else looks as drab and dreary as this film. Score: 4 / 10

Can you imagine a scenario where you have two guys and a girl who were childhood friends and when they grow up, the two males become a priest and a rabbi and then fight over the woman? This is essentially the absurd premise of the long forgotten 2000 rom-com, 'Keeping the Faith'.The rabbi, Jake Schram, is played by Ben Stiller. He's a progressive in a conservative synagogue, getting into trouble with the temple elders by bringing in a black gospel choir who sing the popular Jewish hymn, Ein Keloheinu. Screenwriter Stuart Blumberg attempts to elicit laughs by depicting Jake's failed dating life (he dates a neurotic nymphomaniac who is a big turn-off).When Anna, returns to NYC after many years on the West Coast, a rivalry develops between Jake and his old friend, Brian Finn, now a Catholic priest, over their childhood girlfriend. Jenna Elfman, has nothing much to do in the role of Anna, except acting as 'eye candy' for the rival men of faith.Ed Norton (who also directed), is saddled by a script that knows much less about Catholics than Jews. Brian ends up mistakenly believing that Anna has the hots for him, and not Brian, who she really has fallen in love with. In an uncomfortable scene, Brian confronts Anna, and ends up humiliated when she rejects him. He takes it a step further in a reversion to early adolescence, by slugging Jake in the face. The rest of the silly plot focuses on Jake attempting to prevent his Congregation from learning that he's been dating a 'Shiksa' and dealing with his mother (Anne Bancroft), who initially is unable to tolerate the idea of her son, hooking up with a gentile.All's well that ends well, when Jake and Brian reconcile and Anna is now taking lessons to convert to Judaism. 'Keeping the Faith' fails mainly because Anna is mainly there as a forgettable love interest, Jake's obsession with her is one-note and Brian's fall from grace, simply doesn't jibe with the reality of the majority who answer to the priest's calling.For those interested in the evolution of screenwriter Blumberg's writing career, this is a good film to see. Blumberg did go on to co-write the commendable 'The Kids Are Alright'. Also 'Keeping the Faith' features performances by the great veterans, Anne Bancroft and Eli Wallach, now both deceased. 'Keeping the Faith' can be best described as both sentimental and not funny. DVD copies are likely to be found in your nearest remainder bin. Watch it at your own peril!

Despite the intentions of Edward Norton as director and priest in this film, these interfaith marriages as depicted on screen are nothing more than an attempt by the Hollywood establishment to trivialize an extremely important and serious problem.To Mr. Norton, Ben Stiller and others, it's all not fun and games. It's all not the fact that love conquers all situations.The film is an interesting one as it desperately tries to promote understanding among all people. Notice how briefly there is a one line inference that Jena Elfman is taking lessons in conversion to Judaism.Norton and Stiller do well in this film. However, Stiller as the rabbi, plays what I would term a convenient Rabbi. Eating in a mid eastern non-kosher restaurant is an example. Technical advisers needed to have done a better job here. Same thing with wearing the skull cap as he pleases or going to nightclubs. Come on now.Anne Bancroft showed that she could play a Jewish mother with dignity and understanding. She had come a long way from Mrs. Robinson.Notice that trying to modernize religion only came in the synagogue, not the church. A major prayer which ends sabbath services is sung by an all black gospel choir. This hardly would take place in an orthodox or conservative synagogue.Norton conveys the human weakness that when he learns that Elfman doesn't love him, but rather a rabbi, he gets drunk. Some priest he is!Using the Kol Nidre service on the evening of Yom Kippur for our "rabbi" to confess that he hasn't been honest and true to the congregation is ridiculous at best. Though this observance calls for repentance, this was totally inappropriate.With all said, the picture has to be praised for its attempt to promote human understanding. It's just not that easy or comical.