"Keeping The Faith"

Title: "Keeping The Faith"

Director: Edward Norton
Producers: G. Barber, R. Birnbaum, J. Glickman
Editing: Malcolm Campbell
Composer: Elmer Bernstein
Starring:
- Ben Stiller as Rabbi Jake Schram
- Edward Norton as Father Brian Kilkenney Finn
- Jenna Elfman as Anna Riley
- Anne Bancroft as Ruth Schram
- Miloš Forman as Father Havel
- Eli Wallach as Rabbi Ben Lewis

Plot and Critical Review: Father Brian Kilkenney Finn has been dedicated to his call to be a Roman Catholic priest since he was a child. Finally through seminary he now ministers at a New York congregation with an older priest, Fr. Havel. Rabbi Jacob Schram, best friends with Brian since childhood, is the youngest rabbi at his Reform synagogue. While an excellent and inspiring rabbi, his lack of effort in finding a wife often results in his mother and other women of his congregation setting him up on blind dates. Almost all of them end terribly.

In its earlier days, the friendship included a third party. Via flashbacks and reminiscent musings, Anna Reilly is introduced. Anna met Jake and Brian in middle school. The three enjoyed sports, riding the subway, and getting into typical mischief. But when Anna's father gets a new job in California, the Reilly's move cross-country.

Years later Anna calls her old friends out of the blue and the friendship is rekindled when her company temporarily sends her to New York. Feelings begin to run deeper than before as Anna, despite her workaholic tendencies, is as vibrant as Brian and Jake remembered her.

Knowing Brian is bound by his vows to a life of chastity, Anna and Jake get closer, spending more time together and developing serious chemistry. They start sleeping together, but Jake is reluctant to be involved in a serious relationship because Anna is not Jewish, a fact which could compromise his relationship with his congregation and also with his mother (who disowned her other son for marrying outside the faith). Between the religious conflict and their desire to spare the feelings of their mutual friend, the relationship is kept mostly secret, resulting in both humorous and harmful complications.

Meanwhile, Brian is involved in his own test of faith as he struggles with his feelings for Anna. Apart from praying about the situation and discussing it with Fr. Havel, he keeps these thoughts mostly to himself. Brian begins misinterpreting Anna's words and actions (some of which are subtle signals to Jake as their affair is kept under wraps). He begins to seriously consider quitting the priesthood to pursue a romantic relationship with her.

Anna tells Jake that she wants things to be more serious between them, but he doesn't reciprocate the sentiment. After an argument over the religious issues complicating their romance, Jake and Anna part ways in frustration. Anna calls Brian for comfort and he rushes over to her apartment. Still unaware of what's been going on, he takes her tearful ramblings to be a confession of feelings for him, then kisses her and admits his love. When she interrupts him he first assumes it to be guilt based on his vows, but then she finally tells him she is in love with Jake. Embarrassed and rejected, Brian raids Anna's liquor cabinet, angrily cutting off her attempts to reassure him and apologize. The next day, still drunk, Brian stumbles into the temple and interrupts a post-bar mitzvah gathering, resulting in a confrontation with Jake that ends with the priest punching the rabbi. He leaves and stumbles around the city, getting drunk and relating his troubles to a sympathetic bartender.

As the community center's grand opening approaches (along with the last days of Anna's east coast assignment) the relationships begin to mend. Brian encourages Jake to pursue Anna, and Jake rushes off to Anna's office building. Jake manages to get Anna's attention from a window in the building across the street, and calls to explain himself and offers to set things right. They surprise Brian at the interfaith center, showing him that they're together. Anna greets Rabbi Lewis as he passes by and asks about their meetings together, at which point it becomes clear that she had been taking private classes to convert to Judaism. The film ends happily with the three childhood friends posing for a snapshot together.

The relationship between Hollywood and religion has always been an interesting one. There have been moments when it seemed directors captured the very essence of religious sentiment; presenting films of arresting faithfulness and love. I personally think of "Ben-Hur", "The Passion of the Christ", and "The Mission". And then there are films which are obviously made by Hollywood directors and producers, full of empty and dry humor about a sort of spirituality (or religion) which is made into an issue of personal preference. The "religious people" in those movies seem more motivated by power, guilt, or personal piety than by any desire to serve God (if God - or any god - is even mentioned). To that end I think of "Dogma', "Saved!", and "License To Wed". I don't mean to say that I don't enjoy those latter three films (although I wish I had seen "License..." before I bought it), but I think the irreverent mistreatment of religion and/or religious sentiment and/or spirituality is as clear as day.

"Keeping The Faith" manages to ride the fence in many of those areas. While it slips in places, it remains above irreverent offense most of the time. On the other hand, God is rarely spoken of as a person, and even the most spiritually sentimental lines don't fly from the screen without a joke tied on the end. Brian and Jake draw huge crowds by way of their contemporary preaching-style, but God is never given credit. If only excited oratory was enough to fill the pews in real-life churches.

Is it just me, or do they always seem to be running "Keeping The Faith" on TBS?

My Rating: 6/10

Content to Caution:
V-1 - A priest punches a rabbi. (Oh, you've heard that one before?)
L-2 - Some cursing.
DU-1.5 - Brian drinks himself drunk at a bar. There is some smoking and drinking elsewhere.
RT-0 - No comment.
H/S-0 - Will they? Won't they?!
CH-2 -Some might consider the semi-frequent religious satire offensive.
S/N-2.5 - Sex is implied several times, but never shown. Some kissing and "steamy play".

The "Reel Revelation": "Light and Darkness"

"Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?" (2 Cor. 6:14-15)

Reading that verse by itself (outside of the chapter in which it belongs), what's your gut reaction? I wonder if Paul is equating unbelievers to lawlessness and darkness. Even if I decide that Paul is just using poetry to assist in his comparison, I'm still left with the inescapable admonition to avoid being "bound" to them. Maybe Paul means to avoid the appearance of being an unbeliever; to turn from sinful behavior and chase after holiness. Frankly (whoever Frank is), it's confusing to me. And to remember that this passage comes from the same man who also wrote that we ought to "Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly..." (Romans 12:16a). It seems I should associate with the lowly (the poor, outcast, and meek), but only those who are believers?

The answers to this dilemma might not come easily, and that only adds to the frustration we face as followers of Christ. How should we act when entering into friendships or relationships with unbelievers? How ought we treat them and, in lieu of our faith, are there certain things we ought to abstain from doing with them? If this struggle is not at the heart of the challenges Jake and Brian face in dealing with their feelings for Anna, it is very near to it. Brian's struggle rests almost entirely within his call to celibacy as a Catholic priest. Yet Jake, who is able to date and have romantic relationships, is challenged by the expectations of his congregation and the cultural expectations of the Jewish community. No easy answers for them, either.

We know that we cannot turn our backs on unbelievers. How could we, when Jesus said that he came "...to seek and save that which was lost." (Luke 19:10b) And yet Paul instructs us to not "bind" ourselves to them. Where's the balance? Everything seems to become more complicated when it comes to romantic relationships, such as we see in "Keeping The Faith". Perhaps you've heard the term "missionary dating"? It describes a romantic relationship in which one person (a Christian) will date another person (an unbeliever, or a believer of another faith) with the expectation that, through their romantic relationship, the unbeliever will be converted to Christ. The sentiment is well-meaning, but the Christian automatically puts him or herself in spiritual danger when they use their faith as a tool by which to gain access to intimacy. That's not to say that God can't choose to bring a person to conversion through a romantic relationship, but the risk to the Christian is great. What if the Christian should slip in their convictions and slowly sink into sinful behavior? They want to please their partner and give life to the relationship, but at what cost? Small successions are made, but soon the righteous nature of their reality begins to change as they become more and more bound to the unbeliever. What is left? Two unbelievers, potentially.

That is a somewhat dramatic scenario, but it does happen and we all face the same tension and challenge in our friendships and relationships with unbelievers. We want to bring them to Christ, but we also want to be real with them and have real relationships. Jesus desired the same thing and he tried to develop a relationship of love and trust with the religious leaders of the time. Their reception? Some listened and believed in Him. The rest decided to kill Him.

Remember that it is God who calls out to the unrepentant heart. We've been sent into the world to be salt, and light, that others may see Christ in us, and God might choose to call someone to Himself through our actions and witness to Christ. What a privilege. Even so, it is God's voice alone which will lead the sinner home; God's hands which will heal the wounds sin has caused.

If God gives you the opportunity to become friends with an unbeliever, do not let it pass. But do not seek to give them yourself. Share with them and spend time with them, but seek all the more after opportunity to share Christ with them. Instead of centering conversation on yourself, talk about the One who saved you! When you speak, speak of Christ and His presence in your life. Witness! Do not seek to bind yourself to them, but to bind Christ to their lives that they may come to know His love and embrace His death and resurrection. Let us seek after that binding!

Unbelievers don't need our "salt" to preserve their souls...we're lucky to keep a loaf of bread fresh for more than a few days. Unbelievers don't need our "light" to guide them...we're using our cell phones as flash lights! They need Him. Show them the way.

See you tomorrow - E.T.