Product: Keeping the Faith (2000)
Rating: 5.0
Faithfully Kept Comedy...=)
This was a wonderful movie, if not a tad too long. Funny, thoughtful, and at times, damn-near heartwarming. Ed Norton has always been a stellar actor, but never so warmly appealing before as he is as Father Brian Finn, an Irish Catholic Priest in Manhattan. This is also Norton's directorial debut. A good start for a great star! His best friend in the movie is Ben Stiller's character(played with humor and an affective broodiness)Rabbit Jacob Schrahmn. The 2 were childhood buddies who remained strong friends into adulthood, both pursuing careers related to their religions: Judaism and Catholicism. When their long lost friend from childhood Anna walks back into their lives they both fall for her, and this is where the movie cooks with fun, sprit, a subtle wit, and warmth of heart. There are some tense moments with confrontation, questioning of faith,and you really feel bad for Anna and for Father Brian. The only bad things I can say about this film is that it is predictable, it's a bit long for the kind of plot that it has ( a thin one) and you are never really given enough insight into Stiller's character as to why Anna falls for him as opposed the the more lovable priest. And it would have made a more interesting plot to have them in a tryst instead anyway. But all in all, there is a fun spirit to this film. IT discusses religion as if religion is an agreeable belief the world over, and we just can't agree on the structure of which to base it on. It has strong likable characters, a fair if not great soundtrack, and enjoyable dialougle. A fantabulous date flick be you Jewish, Catholic or even Atheist!