Keeping the Faith (2000)

Two friends, a priest and a rabbi, fall in love with the same woman they knew in their youth, but the religious position of both men denies them romance.

Director:

Edward Norton

Writer:

Stuart Blumberg

Stars:

Ben Stiller, Edward Norton, Jenna Elfman

2 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

Jake and Brian are friends. They are Jewish and Catholic respectively. They would grow up and become a rabbi and priest. Anna, whom they knew when they were younger, comes back to town a stunning woman. Jake is up to be the head of his synagogue but he is not married which doesn't make his appointment any easier. Jake finds himself attracted to Anna but because she's not Jewish, he can't marry her as it would make his appointment less likely. Brian also finds himself attracted to Anna, but the priesthood doesn't allow that. Their friendship is strained when each learns of the other's feelings for her.

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Plot Keywords:

love triangle | priest | rabbi | jewish | synagogue | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some sexuality and language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Hebrew Spanish

Release Date:

14 April 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

Divinas tentaciones

Filming Locations:

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

Box Office

Budget:

$29,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,078,671, 16 April 2000, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$37,047,880

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$59,945,183

Company Credits

Production Co:

Spyglass Entertainment, Touchstone Pictures, Triple Threat Talent

Technical Specs

Runtime:

128 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the airport scene, where limo drivers hold up signs with the names of people they're waiting for, one sign reads "S Blumberg." This is the name of the writer of the film, Stuart Blumberg.

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Goofs

Brian shows a picture to the bartender, clearly showing the kids' torsos. Then when Brian starts explaining who the kids in the picture are and we see the picture again, the kids are much closer to the camera and their torsos are no longer visible.

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Quotes

Anna Riley: I haven't screamed that hard since the US hockey team beat the Russians.

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Crazy Credits

Thank-yous include one to "Salmita Bonita", a reference to actor-director 'Edward Norton''s girlfriend, actress Salma Hayek.

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Alternate Versions

The DVD release features quite a few edited scenes, including:

• Brian takes Anna to the club while it's still under construction
• Brian tries to come into the bar with a bottle of liquor in his hand. The bartender tells him 'No Bottles', so he promptly drinks the remainder
• Brian and Jakob walk through an art museum with Anna (featuring the scene from the Gag Reel where Anna can't say the name of the picture she's standing in front of); eventually, her cel phone rings, she has a yelling match with a co-worker, and falls in the fountain (also seen in the Gag Reel)
• A bit with young Jakob and Brian making a kung-fu movie with a home video camera
• Anna talking to Ruth about Jakob and Jake's brother (establishing exactly why Ruth never forgave him)
• A piece from Jakob's date, where the woman talks about running and breast implants before having a sneezing fit and smashing her face on the table
• Jakob tells Anna to put her pager under her skirt while she's at work, and he'll call her; two co-workers come in just as Jake starts calling, trying to get her to help them work out the numbers as she 'gets buzzed'

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Connections

Spoofs Melrose Place (1992)

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Soundtracks

Play That Funky Music (White Boy)
Written by Rob Parissi (as Robert W. Parissi)
Performed by Wild Cherry

User Reviews

An hour of comedy falls apart in the second half

"Keeping the Faith" as an adult romantic comedy works well. Norton's timing, both as a director and as an actor are magnificent, and Stiller and Elfman add to this shining cast. The approach to religion in a mainstream film is a new one for me at least with deference being paid to each of the respective character's, and the jokes are basically laughing with the religion, rather than at it. The inner struggles that each man faces with his own religion and the woman that threatens to tear apart their religious selves are the most interesting aspects of the film.

The first half is a comedic gem, a laugh-barrage, that completely changes once sex is introduced. It loses focus, changing its story into that of a failing friendship and blossoming love interspersed with awkward and frankly embarrassing moments of comedy. For those who have seen it I refer to the "touchy-feely confession" joke.

At over two hours, it's way too long for a comedy, and it definitely feels it. It's a good film, but by no means can it be considered great. See it to laugh for an hour if you don't mind chuckling and fidgeting in your seat for the second hour.