on one of the worst airplane flights of my life, i have seen one of the best romantic comedies of my life. what gives?
'keeping the faith' had me howling with laughter. i liked this one even better than that wedding movie with hugh grant. absolutely slamming dialog is what kept this one so very good. this movie was as close to perfect as i can imagine something in this genre gets, i was completely sucked in.
it is making me wonder if perhaps this is a type of film that i can actually look forward to enjoying on a regular basis. it had a complete lack of irony that i found very refreshing. it was real, which is probably the highest complement i could pay a romantic comedy.
much of the authenticity streams, i imagine, from a level of jewish cultural exposition previously unseen on the big screen. not even my old bud michael benben got quite this deep. the shiksa question is always played for a joke in film, and even though this was lightly done, the weight of stiller's decision worked very well.
of all stiller's work (not that i have been a study) this one makes him shine without the complicated pretense with which i had previously associated him and that short babe, garafolo.
92% 11740. TabouliJones - 9/21/00 8:16:56 AM
I agree with boohab. Keeping the Faith is, indeed, a very good movie. It is a sweet, good natured, flick; but, more importantly, a very funny one. Jokes and narrative coexist in a seamless and satisfying way from beginning to end. For example, there is a running gag involving trading cards of religious figures that not only pays off with a big belly laugh in the final act, but is also used to both resolve the conflict between the two main characters and to highlight the nature of their relationship -- a skillful, highly satisfying, bit of writing and directing, really. Cudos to writer Stuart Blumberg and to Edward Norton in his directorial debut. I highly recommend Keeping the Faith.
