Product: Keeping the Faith (2000)
Rating: 4.0
Hear the one about a priest, the rabbi, and his girlfriend?
Much more of a Ben Stiller versus Edward Norton fan, I was pleasantly surprised by this light-hearted comedy that was not only an acting but directing vehicle for Norton. A drunken priest pours out his heart to a sympathetic barkeep (played by wonderful character actor Brian George of Babu Bat/Seinfeld fame), recalling the series of events that brought him to this sorry state. The plotline is fairly simple- childhood friends Elfman, Stiller, and Norton form a fast bond, Elfman moves away, and the boys are a duo. Then their lives take a decidedly righteous turn when they both enter the church and temple as priest and rabbi. They set about reforming their neighborhood through their ministries, dubbed the "god squad" by those in the know. Before they realize it, years have gone by, and though Norton can't get married, there are no such restraints on a rabbi. Stiller is set up on a series of failed dates; the women are inexplicably drawn to fawn over him in a disgusting manner. Then enter Jenna Elfman, the childhood friend who has grown into glorious womanhood. The trio renew ties, and both Stiller and Norton feel an attraction to her. I'm sure you can guess what happens from here- boy priest denies attraction to girl, so girl goes for boy rabbi and secretly starts seeing him. Girl is a shiksa, which doesn't bode well for boy rabbi because of his mother, played with usual aplomb by Anne Bancroft. Boy priest decides to throw away priesthood and declare love for girl, but she tells him she's in love with boy rabbi. Boy priest punches boy rabbi's lights out, and falls from proverbial wagon. This film is endearing on a very sappy level, if one is disposed to that type of film, which I am. It's a consummate "date" movie. It moves along at a good clip, has a few good laughs, though the ending tends to get bogged down in working itself out. But all in all, an admirable effort for Norton.