STARS: *** �
DIRECTOR: Edward Norton
PRINCIPLE CAST:
Ben Stiller
Edward Norton
Jenna Elfman
Anne Bancroft
TAGLINE: If you have to believe in something, you might as well believe in love.
So, a priest and a rabbi walk into a bar� well, actually it�s just the priest, but that�s beside the point. We have all heard this before, and the bartender in the opening scene of Keeping The Faith is even willing to admit it. However, as Edward Norton�s father Brian points out, there is a bit of a twist to this tale. In this light-hearted, religious romantic-comedy, Ben Stiller, Edward Norton, and Jenna Elfman play childhood chums reunited after sixteen years.
Ben Stiller is Jake, a rabbi whose synagogue is pushing him to find a decent Jewish girl and settle down before he can become the leader of his chapel. Edward Norton is father Brian, Jake�s priest best friend of nearly twenty years. Together, the two are the �God Squad,� rebel faith leaders who just want to bring religion into the twenty-first century. When their childhood co-best-friend, Anna, returns to New York for business, the three re-strike up their old bond and, once again, become the three musketeers. Although, all is thrown into disarray, when Jake and Anna start �not-dating,� unbeknownst to father Brian, who, himself, has grown quite fond of Anna. Eventually all is shared and we are given the conventional happy ending.
True, this story does follow a few Hollywood clich�s and has its predictability, but this film progresses on much more than this. First off, the chemistry between the stars is purely magic. Edward Norton and Ben Stiller are hilarious and bring such sweetness to their characters. Jenna Elfman has a great essence and charisma that makes it believable for anyone to fall in love with her. Along with this, the script is hilarious, using in-jokes, one-liners, and movie references left and right, not holding back for a second. Everything snaps into place with pitch-perfection, so the film never seems to drag.
This is a truly great film and purely entertaining. All the actiors give great performances, from its principle characters to its supporting cast, including Anne Bancroft of The Graduate and The Miracle Worker fame as Jake�s mother. But, what I found to hold this film so wonderfully was Edward Norton�s direction. He has proven himself an accomplished actor, and now he has progressed in to directing. He uses grand New York landscape masterfully and his timing with the music is supreme. One scene stands out in my mind, where father Brian is falling in love with Jake�s �non-girlfriend� and the two go into an electronics shop to purchase a karaoke system. In walks the salesman singing a particular song, that I will not give away, but says it all. I could not stop laughing. This is a hilarious film of love and faith, held back only by a few clich�s. I highly recommend it to anyone in the mood for romance, religious revival, or simply to have a good time.
