The fact that Edward Norton chose to make his directorial debut with a standard, non-controversial romantic comedy is somewhat surprising. But "Keeping the Faith" is no ordinary romantic comedy. In fact, it is good enough to restore moviegoers' faith in the entire genre.
From the stellar casting to Anastas N. Michos' clever cinematography to writer Stuart Blumberg's dramatic twists and turns, "Faith" is a thoroughly satisfying film. It is unstable at times but so are the characters, making the film feel even more like a glimpse into the psyches of eccentric people.
Brian (Norton), a devout yet street-smart Catholic priest and his best friend Jake (Ben Stiller), an insecure but equally dedicated and street-smart Jewish rabbi, have just begun their terms of service in their respective religious organizations. It is not long before both of the charismatic single men have filled their pews, thanks to their unorthodox services.
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But things don't run smoothly for long. The two have been best friends their entire lives, but at one point during adolescence, they shared another best friend, Anna Reilly (now all grown up in the form of a vivacious Jenna Elfman), who has since moved away. Her return rekindles emotions that Brian thought he had extinguished upon taking his vow of celibacy. Things get complicated for Jake, too, as he begins to have a relationship with Anna behind Brian's back.
Although Norton directed the film, he does not own it in front of the camera. Stiller's multi-layered, deeply felt performance is the main attraction here. His inner conflict - should he follow his heart or look for a nice Jewish woman with whom to settle down? - is the core of the film. His troubles easily apply to most day-to-day relationships, even ones that do not involve Jewish rabbis.
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Elfman brings a warm glow to the screen as the object of both men's adoration. Her innate charm sparkles in every scene, making the religious and emotional turmoil that Jake and Brian suffer in her presence seem thoroughly justified.
Norton is excellent as the righteous Brian. The scenes involving him getting drunk are a stark contrast to his pious nature and show the agony he feels about his attraction to Anna. All three lead characters have terrific chemistry, whether they are fighting or kissing.
In other supporting roles, Anne Bancroft gives a great turn as Jake's Jewish mother and director Milos Foreman has a fun little role as Father Havel, Brian's religious boss.
Norton displays quite a skillful hand as the man calling the shots. "Faith" is musical in tempo, as the dramatic and romantic tension escalates and declines and there is a great deal of comic relief in-between.
Michos beautifully captures New York. Several clever and innovative cinematic touches throughout indicate that director Norton had artistic intentions beyond a simple romance film.
"Faith" tries hard to avoid a "Sleepless in Seattle"-esque ending and it almost succeeds, but the sugary sweet finale is marred by a darkly humorous edge, preventing the viewer from getting any romantic cliché cavities.
Whereas Norton's last starring film, "Fight Club," was destructive and over-the-top with its indictment of contemporary America and how skewed our values are, this film is rather hopeful and geared towards building a better tomorrow and not dwelling so much on mistakes of the past.
"Faith" is uplifting not simply because it has a happy ending but also because it is imbued with a general sense of optimism. Of course, the characters stumble and briefly lose hope along the way, but the film's message is something worth paying attention to: People have good hearts and should be given consideration no matter who they are on the surface.
Norton's debut manages to be both thought provoking and charming. It is an emotional and even spiritual roller coaster, but "Faith" is a ride well worth taking for everyone, no matter how much or how little faith they have.
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