Tired Joke Breeds Stale Comedy

Nearly three years ago, actor Edward Norton convinced Stuart Blumberg, an old college friend from Yale, to ditch plans for Harvard Law School and work on a film screenplay. The result of his intervention is _Keeping the Faith_, a new romantic comedy first-time director/producer Norton jokingly refers to as his "$30 million rabbi priest joke." However, while the film certainly pays lip service to its religious subtext, it certainly takes its time in exploring them. The movie's two-hour and ten-minute running time is too long, really, for what is essentially a fluffy date movie with a serious undertone.

Best friends since middle school, Brian Finn (Edward Norton) and Jake Schram (Ben Stiller) are single and successful young men living on New York's Upper West Side. Both men are completely committed to their faith, and equally committed to their respective congregations as a priest and a rabbi. Thinking of themselves as a modern "God Squad, like the new cops who want to shake up the precinct," each tries to enliven their services when the energy level begins to ebb by spicing up their sermons with stand-up comedy. At one point, Jake actually says, "But seriously, folks," to his congregation as he brings in a gospel choir to serenade his temple. But when their old childhood friend Anna Reilly (Jenna Elfman) comes back into their lives, a complicated love triangle develops as both holy men tempt a fall from grace. Their sudden crush on Anna presents a formidable problem for both men: For Jake, it's that Anna is a gentile, and for Brian, there's that pesky vow of celibacy he has sworn to uphold.

In _Keeping the Faith_, Norton pulls triple duty as not only a co-star, but also as the director and producer -quite an accomplishment for a man who has just recently reached the age of thirty. In his directorial debut, the two-time Academy Award nominated actor demonstrates a flair for exposing emotional traits while still maintaining a light tone. Norton makes deft use of physical comedy, although the slapstick is highly and unevenly concentrated in the beginning of the film. He and Blumberg also seem intent in showcasing their knowledge of pop culture. In just the first half hour of the film, references are made to Lauren Hill's departure from the Fugees, the _Buena Vista Social Club_, Tuesdays With Morrie, VH1's "Behind the Music," and even the movie _Seven_ , the "ultimate Bible Cliff Notes" to which Brian directs his congregation when no one can name the seven deadly sins. The most resounding image, however, is undoubtedly Jacob and Brian's sauntering down a New York avenue in matching leather jackets and sunglasses to the tune of Rob Thomas' vocals in Santana's "Smooth."

As an actor, Norton continues to surprise and breaks away from the darker and more intense roles he depicted in _American History X_ and _Fight Club_. As Brian, he veers more towards the romantic comedy genre he previously explored in Woody Allen's _Everybody Says I Love You_ and in particular, demonstrates a sympathetic vulnerability when he questions himself about his religious faith (a vulnerability that is accented by the haloed look created by his newly dyed blond hair). Ben Stiller is amusing but unexceptional as Brian's foil, and Jenna Elfman is exceedingly perky as the workaholic Anna Reilly, whose greatest accomplishment thus far has been talking McDonald's out of the McOyster. In particular, Elfman is given a chance to break out of her television mold as she plays a business-driven character who is essentially the anti-Dharma, and demonstrates a wider range than she was allowed in her previous films (_EdTV_, _Grosse Pointe Blanke_). Rounding out the eclectic cast is the classic Anne Brancroft as Jacob's passionately Jewish mom, and Milos Foreman, (Norton's _The People Vs. Larry Flynt_ director) as an older priest who guides Brian through his personal and religious turmoil.

Although it often aspires to heavy theological aims, _Keeping the Faith_ is essentially just a light, frothy, and old-fashioned screwball comedy. It only skims the deeper issues of religious tolerance and often seems more interested in milking the central religious conflict for all of its possible humorous aspects than in fully depicting each character's internal struggles with his or her faith. The most expressive Jacob ever gets in coming to terms with the reality of his relationship with Anna is proclaiming to her, "The fact that you're not Jewish is a real problem for me." Overall, the film touches all the bases as it provides a new angle through which to explore romantic comedies, but as a critique of the more serious and fundamental side of modern relationships concerning religion, it fails to wholly hit home.

Keeping the Faith

directed by Edward Norton

starring Ben Stiller, Edward Norton, and Jenna Elfman

Touchstone Pictures

directed by Edward Norton

starring Ben Stiller, Edward Norton, and Jenna Elfman

Touchstone Pictures