Keeping the Faith (2000)

Director:

Edward Norton

Writer (WGA):

Stuart Blumberg (written by)

Release Date:

5 April 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

If you have to believe in something, you might as well believe in love.

Plot:

A story about two friends, a priest and a rabbi, who fall in love with the same beauty (Jenna Elfman).

Plot Keywords:

Rabbi | Priest | Celibacy | Religion | Synagogue

Awards:

2 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Ben Stiller	...	Rabbi Jake Schram
Edward Norton	...	Father Brian Finn
Jenna Elfman	...	Anna Riley
Anne Bancroft	...	Ruth Schram
Eli Wallach	...	Rabbi Ben Lewis
Ron Rifkin	...	Larry Friedman
Milos Forman	...	Father Havel
Holland Taylor	...	Bonnie Rose
Lisa Edelstein	...	Ali Decker
Rena Sofer	...	Rachel Rose
Ken Leung	...	Don
Brian George	...	Paulie Chopra
Catherine Lloyd Burns	...	Debbie
Susie Essman	...	Ellen Friedman
Stuart Blumberg	...	Len
Samuel R. Goldberg	...	Teenage Jake Schram (as Sam Goldberg)
Michael Charles Roman	...	Teenage Brian Finn (as Michael Roman)
Blythe Auffarth	...	Teenage Anna Riley
Jonathan Randell Silver	...	Alan Klein
Brian Anthony Wilson	...	T-Bone
Juan Piedrahita	...	Omar
Kelly Deadmon	...	Woman in Bar
Raphael M.A. Frieder	...	Cantor
Bodhi Elfman	...	Howard the Casanova
Chris Gardner	...	Basketball Kid #1 (as Christopher Gardner)
Santi Formosa	...	Basketball Kid #2
Francine Beers	...	Greta Nussbaum
Rena Blumberg	...	Chaya
Ellen Hauptman	...	Roz Lentz
Liz Larsen	...	Leslie
Matt Winston	...	Matt
Nelson Avidon	...	Joel
David Wain	...	Steve Posner
Donna Hanover	...	Confessional Woman #1
Wai Ching Ho	...	Confessional Woman #2
Howard Greller	...	Doctor
Brenda Denmark	...	Nurse (as Brenda Thomas Denmark)
Marilyn Cooper	...	'Don't Walk' Lady
Hawk Koch	...	Rabbinical Professor
Craig Castaldo	...	Radio Man (as Radio Man)
Keith Perry	...	Old Man Hit with the Censor
John Arocho	...	Bully
Derrick Eason	...	Co-Worker
Ray Carlson	...	Monsignor
Barbara Haas	...	Mother in Synagogue Reception Room
Sunny Keyser	...	Mother
Lorna Lable	...	Mother
Paula Raflo	...	Mother
Hillary Brook Canter	...	Daughter
Dana Lubotsky	...	Daughter
Alexandra Rella	...	Daughter
Eugene S. Katz	...	Mohel
Tony Rossi	...	Hot Dog Vendor
John P. Duffell	...	Father Duffell
Keith Williams	...	AIDS Patient
Dagmara Dominczyk	...	Claire
Kryss Anderson	...	Craig
Sophia Alexis	...	Party Guest
Tony Devon	...	Jewish Neighbor
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Giovanni Capitello	...	Bartender at cocktail party
Bronwen Carson	...	Sexy Secretary
Robin Clark	...	Singer In Gospel Choir
Andre Da Silva	...	Guitar player
Dan Griffin	...	Various
Jeff Millstein	...	Synagogue member / movie patron (scenes deleted)
Victoria Rong
Laura Summer	...	(voice)
Amy Wilson	...	Ruth (scenes deleted)
Frank Floyd	...	Choir Member (uncredited)
Paul Hogan	...	Karaoke Singer Sean (uncredited)
Jessica Montanez	...	Synagogue Member (uncredited)
Martin Pfefferkorn	...	Homeless Man (uncredited)
Shabazz Ray	...	Himself (uncredited)
Robert F. Saunders	...	Man in Front Row (uncredited)
Bernard J. Tarver	...	Movie Theater Patron (uncredited)
Cliff Townsend	...	Gospel Choir Member (uncredited)

Directed by
Edward Norton

Writing credits (WGA)
Stuart Blumberg		(written by)

Produced by
Gary Barber	....	executive producer
Roger Birnbaum	....	executive producer
Stuart Blumberg	....	producer
Jonathan Glickman	....	executive producer
Hawk Koch	....	producer
Edward Norton	....	producer

Original Music by
Elmer Bernstein

Cinematography by
Anastas N. Michos

Film Editing by
Malcolm Campbell

Casting by
Avy Kaufman

Production Design by
Wynn Thomas

Art Direction by
Chris Shriver

Set Decoration by
Leslie E. Rollins

Costume Design by
Michael Kaplan

Makeup Department
Victor DeNicola	....	key hair stylist
Ann Masterson	....	makeup artist: Jenna Elfman
Rita Ogden	....	makeup artist
Jackie Payne	....	hair stylist
Carla White	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Jonathan Filley	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mark Carter	....	assistant director
Mark Cotone	....	first assistant director
Stephen Lee Davis	....	assistant director
Paul Hogan	....	dga trainee

Art Department
Eric Cheripka	....	props
Robert Currie	....	props
Peter DeCurtis	....	set dresser
James Donahue	....	scenic artist
Christopher Doogan	....	scenic artist
Jeffrey L. Glave	....	scenic artist
Heather Danielle Kane	....	assistant property master
Erik Knight	....	art department coordinator
Christine Moosher	....	assistant set decorator
Malcolm Reid	....	key shop craftsman
Raymond M. Samitz	....	construction coordinator
Ron Stone	....	property master
Loren Weeks	....	assistant art director
Joan Winters	....	graphic designer
Brick Mason	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Pembrooke Andrews	....	assistant dialogue editor
Christopher S. Aud	....	sound editor
Kevin E. Carpenter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jeffrey Cranford	....	assistant sound editor
Paul Curtis	....	adr editor
Paul Curtis	....	dialogue editor
Francesca Dodd	....	dialogue editor
Patrick Dodd	....	supervising sound editor
Terry Garcia	....	assistant sound editor
Eric Gotthelf	....	foley mixer
Michael Herbick	....	sound re-recording mixer
J. Paul Huntsman	....	supervising sound editor
Tom Nelson	....	production sound mixer
Marsha Sorce	....	sound recordist
John C. Stuver	....	dialogue editor
Kevin Webb	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
John Ottesen	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Dennis Berardi	....	visual effects supervisor: Toybox
Max Harris	....	visual effects compositor: Toybox
Carey Len Smith	....	visual effects coordinator: Toybox

Stunts
G.A. Aguilar	....	stunt coordinator
Blaise Corrigan	....	stunt coordinator
Stephanie Finochio	....	stunt double
Shawnna Thibodeau	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
Bill Almeida	....	best boy electric
Steven Blaho	....	rigging grip
Kenny Burke	....	best boy grip
Ronald Burke	....	dolly grip (as Ron Burke)
Andrew Cheung	....	company grip
Matt Chubet	....	company grip
James Edmiston	....	company grip
Morris Flam	....	gaffer
Joel Holland	....	video assist operator
Francis Leach	....	electrician
Clay Liversidge	....	rigging gaffer
William MacGhee	....	electrician
Peter Masterson	....	assistant camera
Jason Micallef	....	electrician
David Norris	....	camera operator: Wescam camera
John Panuccio	....	key rigging grip
Lance E. Phox	....	rigging electric
Robert T. Prate	....	rigging grip
Tom Prate	....	key grip
Darren Ryan	....	24 frame video operator
Brooke Stanford	....	electrician

Casting Department
Beth Bowling	....	casting associate
Nicole Brown	....	extras casting assistant
Byron Crystal	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lorraine Calvert	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
James A. Brewer	....	first assistant editor
Lisa Hayden	....	assistant editor (as Lise Hayden)
John F. Lyons	....	assistant editor
Janet Ogletree	....	assistant editor
Angela Torrez Parker	....	post-production

Music Department
Emilie A. Bernstein	....	orchestrator
Kathy Durning	....	music editor
Lisa Jaime	....	music editor
Kenneth Karman	....	supervising music editor
Kathy Nelson	....	executive in charge of music: Buena Vista
Robert Puff	....	music librarian
Patrick Russ	....	orchestrator
Dan Wallin	....	score mixer

Transportation Department
Bobby Marsh	....	driver

Other crew
Erin Alexander	....	assistant to cast
Liza Bigger	....	production assistant
Teena Byl	....	production secretary
Tami Cassell	....	adr loop group
Al Cerullo	....	helicopter pilot
Ellen Gannon	....	production coordinator
Chris George	....	unit location assistant
Laurie Gershon	....	product placement/clearances
Stefan Morris Hogan	....	production assistant
Deirdre Horgan	....	script supervisor
Julie Kuehndorf	....	unit publicist
Deanna Leslie	....	set production assistant
Adam Levine	....	stage manager
Josh Liveright	....	stage manager
Lev Mailer	....	adr voice
Theresa Marsh	....	first assistant production accountant
David Ray Martin	....	location assistant
Terry McAllister	....	security investigator
Kiersten Pilar Miller	....	production assistant
Jesse Nye	....	production assistant
Evan Perazzo	....	location assistant
Wayne Petrucelli	....	security coordinator
Kris Schackman	....	location assistant
Michael Stricks	....	location manager
Maria Williams	....	assistant: Ben Stiller
Nate Wood	....	production assistant
Benjamin Woodlock	....	production assistant
Tim Ballou	....	script clearance administrator (uncredited)
Michael J. Harker	....	completion bond representative (uncredited)
Meredith Mills-Cavalluzzo	....	assistant: Anne Bancroft (uncredited)
Anthony Reynolds	....	stand-in: Edward Norton (uncredited)
Jonathan Roumie	....	location assistant (uncredited)
Hilary Walker	....	location scout (uncredited)
K.L. Connie Wang	....	assistant script clearance administrator (uncredited)

Thanks
David Fincher	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Spyglass Entertainment
• Touchstone Pictures
• Triple Threat Talent

Distributors

• Buena Vista Pictures (2000) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (2004) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• FS Film Oy (2000) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (2000) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International Spain (Spain)
• Buena Vista International (Argentina)
• Cinefil Imagica (2007) (Japan) (TV)
• Constantin Film (Germany)
• FS Film Oy (2001) (Finland) (DVD)
• FS Film Oy (2001) (Finland) (VHS)
• Gaumont Buena Vista International (GBVI) (France)
• Nelonen (2003) (Finland) (TV)
• Odeon (2000) (Greece) (all media)
• Pony Canyon (2001) (Japan) (DVD)
• Toho-Towa
• Walt Disney Company, The

Special Effects

• Toybox

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Custom Film Effects  titles and opticals
• Hollywood Records  soundtrack
• Movie Movers  star trailers
• Movie Movers  transportation

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some sexuality and language

Runtime:

128 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Hebrew | Spanish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:S | France:U | Germany:6 (w) | Hong Kong:IIA | New Zealand:M | Norway:7 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:15 | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12 | Philippines:PG-13 | Iceland:L | Brazil:14 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #37329) | Singapore:PG13 (re-rating)

Filming Locations:

17 State Street, Financial District, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Spyglass Entertainment

Trivia:

During a sermon scene in the beginning, Edward Norton's character references the film Se7en (1995) as, "A popular movie with Brad Pitt". Se7en was directed by David Fincher, who also directed Norton and Pitt in Fight Club (1999).

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: During the conversation between Jake and Brian, after the fight in the synagogue, the camera is on Jake's face from behind Brian's shoulder at one point. You can clearly see that he is not talking, and yet we hear Brian's voice.

Quotes:

Anna Riley:Don't you have work?
Rabbi Jacob "Jake" Schram:We're doing a hostile takeover of Congregation Bertov Sholem.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in At the Still Point (2005)

Soundtrack:

Ready to Take a Chance Again

Unlikely yet entertaining 'menage-a-tois'screwball comedy

KEEPING THE FAITH (2000) *** Ben Stiller, Edward Norton, Jenna Elfman, Eli Wallach, Anne Bancroft, Ron Rifkin, Rena Sofer, Lisa Edelstein, Milos Forman. (Dir: Edward Norton)

So did you hear the one about the priest and the rabbi and the `business woman'? Well if that sounds familiar don't let that dissuade you from this frequently hilarious romantic comedy of the unlikeliest of menage a trois in cinema history.

Childhood chums, Jake Schram, Brian Finn and Anna Reilly - The Three Muskateers of the 8th Grade of Manhattan - are reunited nearly 2 decades later with a lot of catching up to do when Anna comes back east for a short stint as a high powered brokerage businesswoman (portrayed in full giddy sexy appeal by Elfman of tv's kooky couple `Dharma & Greg') who has her hands full when she finds her best buddies, Jake (Stiller in fine leading man/comedy mode) and Brian (Norton, equally riotous in his directorial debut) are, respectively, a rabbi and priest.

Seems the best friends only bonded stronger when their female compatriot moved out of the neighborhood pre-adolescently and shared more than their uncommon friendship: their devotion to their separate faiths. To make matters more difficult in Anna's sudden return into their lives is the fact that both buddies are in love with her but it is Jake who winds up making the first move as the frustrated young rabbi who is constantly being set up on disastrous blind dates by his meddlesome congregation (`the kosher-nostra'). After the initial awkwardness is overcome the two friends become a casual sex relationship that only gets further complicated when Jake cannot handle the fact Anna's non-Judea background must be taken into effect if he is to become a full-fledged rabbi at his synagogue. Brian, meanwhile, has found his libido at its leash when Anna begins to subsist in his dreams leading to a comical revelation by the film's conclusion.

The threesome have chemistry to spare and banter so witty and blunt by Stuart Blumberg's script that the pedestrian storyline (will Jake realize just what a good thing Anna really is and will Anna realize Brian really wants the best for her) is a no-brainer (and I have to admit the climax of Stiller addressing his followers with a mea culpea seemed to miss its mark since there was no real sense of him `betraying' his people), the film chugs along merrily and makes light of the religious overtones (one truly funny moment is the depiction of the young Jake sorting through his Jewish rabbi hero trading cards the way one would relish finding a Mickey Mantle rookie card) with a contemporary spin. Edelstein is memorable as well as the sinfully sensual Sofer as, respectively, date from hell and date from heaven for Jake. Bancroft and Wallach also lend veteran character actor shtick with all the nourishment of a nosh at the Carnegie Deli.

Elfman has proven to be a lovely comedienne and has always reminded me of Jamie Lee Curtis with her buoyant performances and adds just the right bounce as the tomboy all grown up. Stiller continues his stance as the hardest working man in comedy with another deft, dry turn as the befuddled rabbi and Norton display the tricky balance of skilled actor of his generation (his choirboy persona is perfectly advanced for his good-hearted priest and his knack for perfect imitations - i.e. Dustin Hoffman's `Rain Man' )- is only matched by his straight ahead approach to filmmaking; trimming the fat but keeping the high calorie comedy quota intact.

He even gets his former director Milos Forman (who put Norton through the paces on `The People vs. Larry Flynt') for a small cameo as an elder clergyman to get one of the film's biggest laughs (interrupted by a middle-of-the-night phone call for Norton he says he was `dreaming of his mother's sausages').

Believe in love and laughter is to appreciate a wonderful romantic comedy that has both in spades.