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"Have
'Faith'"
by Scott Mantz
"Keeping the Faith"
Ben Stiller, Edward Norton
Directed by Edward Norton
Oy Vey! I am
so feklempt with the dating scene these days! As if it wasn't hard
enough with all the crazy lunatics out there, the restrictions that
people put on trivial things, like age, status, and occupation,
are enough to drive me crazy. On top of everything, there's the
whole religion issue, as many people will only date others who are
the same religion. For example, Jewish people feel bound by dedication,
tradition, and, of course, guilt to only date other Jewish people.
The line that
divides faith, love, and friendship can be a difficult one to walk.
It's one thing to fall in love with somebody outside your religion,
but what happens when your best friend falls in love with her too?
Ben Stiller and Edward Norton are two best friends caught between
God and a hot babe in "Keeping the Faith", a charming and irresistible
romantic comedy of biblical proportions.
Here's one for
ya. There's this rabbi and this priest, and they both fall in love
with the same woman. No, this is not a joke! Jake (Ben Stiller)
and Brian (Edward Norton) are inseparable childhood friends who
are so dedicated to their faith that they go into it full-time.
Jake follows the Torah highway (he's a rabbi), while Brian bonds
with Jesus (he's a priest). While they're both happy with what they
do, Jake has had it up to his yarmulke with being fixed up with
everybody's daughter. When their old friend Anna (Jenna Elfman),
who they haven't seen in years, shows up in New York for business,
they are blown away by how much she's, well, matured. Both men are
smitten by her, but Jake is the lucky one to cross the line. Not
only does Jake have to deal with the fact that he's dating a shiksa
(non-Jewish woman), but he also has to hide it from Brian. Will
this trio end up as friends, or will the pressure tear the team
apart?
In his feature
directorial debut (if you don't count his uncredited clean-up job
on "American History X"), Edward Norton shows remarkable chutzpah
with "Keeping the Faith". He shows such a confident flair for development
and comic timing that you would think he's been doing this for years.
Maybe he cast Milos Forman (his director from "The People vs. Larry
Flint") in the role of a priest as a good luck charm, but he didn't
really need it. Still, without being too critical, the film could
have used another trim through the editing bay. At 2 hours and 10
minutes, the movies runs a little long, especially by romantic comedy
standards.
Both Norton
and Ben Stiller are perfectly cast in their roles, and they both
balance just the right mix of comedy and drama to pull the film
off. Considering that they both have acting and directing jobs on
their resume (Stiller helmed "Reality Bites" and "The Cable Guy"),
it makes perfect sense that they play so well off each other.
Stiller is a
mensh (nice guy) who is torn between the stifling traditions of
his faith and the woman he has loved for all his life. The fact
that he wants to take a more liberal approach to his profession
only complicates matters further. Norton is equally as impressive
as the type of streetwise priest that you'd want to hang out with
and have a few beers. At least Stiller can date--Norton has to remain
faithful to his boss from upstairs. As for Jenna Elfman, it's easy
to see why these guys are in such a dilemma. She's sexy, she's smart,
and she's successful, but when she lets her guard down, she reveals
someone who is sensitive and lonely.
You can keep
putting yourself through the torture of being fixed up by people
who think that they know you better than you know yourself, or you
can have faith and be patient that you'll meet the right person
when the time is right. Also, do yourself a favor, and throw all
those restrictive requirements out the window. Just follow your
heart. It will never steer you wrong, and divine intervention will
ensure that you get what you deserve.
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