Keeping Up with the Steins (2006)

A 13-year-old boy uses his upcoming bar mitzvah to reconcile the strained relationship between his father and grandfather.

Director:

Scott Marshall

Writer:

Mark Zakarin

Stars:

Daryl Sabara, Jami Gertz, Jeremy Piven

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Daryl Sabara	...	Benjamin Fiedler
Jami Gertz	...	Joanne Fiedler
Jeremy Piven	...	Adam Fiedler
Cheryl Hines	...	Casey Nudelman
Marc John Jefferies	...	Tim (as Marc John Jeffries)
Tom Hines	...	Master of Ceremonies
Carter Jenkins	...	Zachary Stein
Sandra Taylor	...	Raylene Stein
Larry Miller	...	Arnie Stein
Miranda Cosgrove	...	Karen Sussman
Britt Robertson	...	Ashley Grunwald (as Brittany Robertson)
DJ Quik	...	Himself
Doris Roberts	...	Rose Fiedler
Garry Marshall	...	Irwin Fiedler
Sky Bear Aguilar	...	Native American Boy

Storyline

In toney Brentwood, Benjamin Fiedler prepares for his bar mitzvah; trouble is, he understands neither its meaning nor the Hebrew, and his parents (particularly his successful-agent father) are planning the most lavish party possible. Benjamin wants his dad to give him some space, so he gets an idea: to invite his grandfather, who left the family years ago and for whom Benjamin's dad has an intense dislike, to come two weeks early. Thanks in part to grandpa - and to the immediate family's love - Benjamin may have a shot at figuring out what it means to be a man.

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Plot Keywords:

bar mitzvah | party | hebrew | rite of passage | millionaire | 

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Taglines:

Something's not quite kosher.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some crude language, nudity and brief drug references

Details

Official Sites:

BV Entertainment [us] Miramax [us]

Country:

USA

Language:

English Hebrew

Release Date:

28 December 2006 (Israel)

Also Known As:

Lucky 13

Filming Locations:

Brentwood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$653,723 (USA) (12 May 2006)

Gross:

$4,328,294 (USA) (28 July 2006)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Miramax Films, A Road Picture, Winsome Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The working title for this movie was "Lucky 13."

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Goofs

In the scene where Benjamin is talking to his grandfather while fishing on the pier; at one point the background behind Ben is filled with sailboats while the camera is on him. The shot switches to his grandfather for a few lines and when it switches back to Ben, just a few seconds later, the sailboats are all gone. There was not enough time for the boats to have sailed out of the scene.

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Quotes

Irwin Fiedler: Well hello there, Mister nose-picker man!

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Crazy Credits

In the first set of end credits, Mark John Jefferies is listed as a cast member, but in the final comprehensive set, he is listed as Marc John Jeffries.

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Connections

References The Simpsons (1989)

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Soundtracks

"Fefe Suicide"
Written by Todd Bozung (as T. Bozung), Peter Plath (as P. Plath)
Performed by With The Quickness
Courtesy of With The Quickness

User Reviews

Hilarious Film!

Great movie!! I was in a bad mood all day until I saw this movie. It made my day!! From the audience's responses, it made their day, too! I found Jeremy Piven's performance to be in line with his usual comedic excellence. When it comes to comedy, Jeremy is king. Excellent performances from other cast is definitely worth noting. Even though I'm not Jewish, I found the film totally entertaining. This film is more than slap stick comedy woven into a worn out display of one-liners. The characters are not static, and there is a serious current underlying the funny moments. It's a redemptive story about family being more important than money--in grand style. Good job, guys!