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Keeping the Faith
Touchstone Pictures


8.5

based on 31 reviews
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How did we calculate this?

based on 12 votes
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MPAA RATING: PG-13 for some sexuality and language

Starring Edward Norton, Ben Stiller, and Jenna Elfman

Best friends since they were kids, Jake (Stiller), a rabbi, and Brian (Norton), a Catholic priest, are single, successful, handsome, and confident young men living on New York's Upper West Side. When Anna (Elfman), their childhood friend, returns to New York, she reenters their lives and hearts with a vengeance and a complicated love triangle is created. (Touchstone Pictures)

GENRE(S):	Romance
WRITTEN BY:	Stuart Blumberg
DIRECTED BY:	Edward Norton
RELEASE DATE:	DVD: October 17, 2000 Video: October 17, 2000 Theatrical: April 14, 2000
RUNNING TIME:	128 minutes, Color
ORIGIN:	USA

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

New York Post Lou Lumenick

The ideal date movie for the Passover-Easter season and beyond, guaranteed to keep audiences rolling in the pews.

San Francisco Examiner Wesley Morris

Funny and untouched by cynical, ironic bids to be taken seriously.

Washington Post Stephen Hunter

May be the most ruggedly decent film to come along in a couple of decades.

Los Angeles Times Kevin Thomas

All the more rewarding because of the challenge the material presented.

Rolling Stone Peter Travers

A funny and touching date movie that dares to celebrate decency.

Film.com Gemma Files

It's adult and humane, genuinely sexy, laugh-out-loud funny.

TNT RoughCut Graham Verdon

What more can we ask from a romantic comedy?

Austin Chronicle Marc Savlov

A disarmingly enjoyable film.

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

We're swept up in the story's need to find a happy ending.

New York Daily News Jack Mathews

A mostly accomplished first film, with precise comic timing and some hilarious moments.

Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt

Norton gives the comedy unexpected sparkle in his directorial debut.

TV Guide Maitland McDonagh

A very entertaining, hugely neurotic romantic comedy.

Film.com Ernest Hardy

In a sterling ensemble cast, (Elfman) just about walks off with the movie.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer William Arnold

A pleasant, old-fashioned kind of a love triangle.

Mr. Showbiz Kevin Maynard

Works so hard at being pleasant and ingratiating that it wears out its welcome.

Baltimore Sun Ann Hornaday

Depends on breezy attitude and effortless delivery for its success.

USA Today Mike Clark

Even surly moviegoers may discover how pleasant it can be to actually like movie characters.

Miami Herald Rene Rodriguez

Does more than pay lip service to its subtexts.

Chicago Tribune Marc Caro

Despite scattered bits of nice writing, the movie never quite comes together.

Variety Emanuel Levy

Norton directs with assurance.

Slate David Edelstein

A slick, not-too-thoughtful love story.

Chicago Reader Jonathan Rosenbaum

The charm of the three leads makes it a movie worth seeing.

LA Weekly Paul Cullum

Unbearably talky and earnest in equal measure.

Film.com John Hartl

Too long, too predictable.

Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum

Commits sins of romantic comedy as well as sins of spiritual tragedy.

San Francisco Chronicle Mick LaSalle

The audience is made to wait a long time for an ending that's not worth waiting for.

Newsweek Ted Gideonse

A fine film; as an Ed Norton picture, it's a disappointment.

Village Voice Amy Taubin

Its exploration of faith and love is skin deep.

Salon.com Andrew O'Hehir

Edward Norton's dopey directorial debut gives interfaith romance a bad name.

Dallas Observer Robert Wilonsky

Banal sit-comedy masquerading as religious deepthink dolled up as boy-meets-goy love story.

Portland Oregonian Diana Abu-Jaber

Chock-full of the sort of levity that leaves you feeling you've been beaten about the head with a lead pipe.

The average user rating for this movie is 8.5 (out of 10) based on 12 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Jake W. gave it an 8:
In a film as potentially gimmicky and stupid as this, its the performances which need to shine, and they do. I am no fan of sitcoms but Jenna Elfman shows her dramatic and comic ability here; no mean feat when you're working with two generally accepted talents like Norton and Stiller. This movie could have been terrible, but it wasn't. Bad professional reviews for this are written by grouchy people who have to watch romantic comedies for a living. Poor souls wouldn't know a good one if it bit them on the ass.

Michael C. gave it a 8:
What a surprise! I expected Keeping The Faith to be another crappy romance with largely unfunny jokes. But, it was exactly the opposite. It's a great romance with hilarious jokes, and shouldn't be missed.

Charlie K. gave it a 9:
This was a funny movie that just had a nice twist at the end. I loved the acting.

Ryan M. gave it a 9:
Exremely funny! Just shows you what happens when you clash Jesus and Moses in a wickedly entertaining comedy with a great cast.

Conrad R. gave it a 5:
In a movie that came near to being a complete bomb, the three main characters bring together some light comedy, charm, and drama to produce a better-than-some film.

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Keeping the Faith Touchstone Pictures

Keeping the Faith
Touchstone Pictures