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Review #143 of 365
Film: Keeping Up with the Steins [PG-13] 99 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $9.00
Where Viewed: Landmark Edina Theatre, Edina, MN
When 1st Seen: 4 June 2006
Time: 9:30 p.m.
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| DVD |
Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
A somewhat tongue-in-cheek yet light-hearted family comedy which addresses the ever-escalating competition between families in the Jewish community to passionately out-do each other with more and more lavish bar-mitzvah parties, Keeping Up with the Steins transports us into the Brentwood, Los Angeles neighborhood home of young Benjamin Fiedler (Daryl Sabara) whose father Adam (Jeremy Piven) suffers from issues of abandonment due to his father, Irwin (Garry Marshall) running out on him and his mother at an early age and plans, therefore, to put on a party that ensures his son will know the depth of his love. This is not lost on Benjamin, however, an extravaganza is just not his scene. What he really wants but which he cannot find a way to let his parents know is that he doesn't wish to compete with the Steins. He really wants a scaled-down affair that focuses on his family, especially his newly found grandfather with whom he has bonded securely when he helps Benjamin through a spell with some adult beverage consumption and, most importantly, does not inform his parents. Rounding out the cast, Jami Gertz and Doris Roberts play Benjamin's mother and grandmother respectively, Larry Miller plays Arnie Stein (of the Keeping up with the Steins, Stein), Carter (NBC's Surface) Jenkins plays Zachary Stein, and Richard Benjamin has a fine cameo role as the Rabbi.
" All in all, Keeping Up with the Steins has a good premise, however the premise was not worthy to be considered for a major motion picture. Sweet enough, I would put this in the back corner of my TiVo® wishlists or my Netflix® queue rather than paying full price."
With a cute and sentimental story by Mark Zakarin and Scott Marshall (son of Garry and nephew of Penny Marshall) directing, this Miramax production fails to reach the point of being very compelling, significant, or urgent. It was one of those movies that really didn't seem to need to be made into a full-scale theatrical release. A made-for-tv movie would have been just fine. This sentiment is not a reflection on the cast members who all did outstanding jobs. The directing was adequate, it's just that the main point and the narrative in general surrounds what turns out to be not an overly important, relevant, or necessary for this medium. Certainly, there is some truth to poor Benjamin's situation, however, the net result, while comedic and family oriented, never draws us in sufficiently to make us care much for these people and their lifestyle. If this is the biggest problem poor young Benjamin faces, his life is golden, and we should all be so lucky. Still, there is a pretty good message in the film, and it is appropriately delivered. As a minor point, probably everyone would agree that we could live without seeing Garry Marshall's backside birthday suit. There is a surprise musical guest in a cameo appearance at Benjamin's Bar-mitzvah who nearly makes the film worth seeing were it not for how they edited this part such that after you hear him sing a few bars, they constant pan between him and all the party-goers dancing. This detracted from his presence on screen and appearance in the film.
All in all, Keeping Up with the Steins has a good premise, however the premise was not compelling enough to be considered for a major motion picture. Sweet though, I would put this in the back corner of my TiVo® wishlists or my Netflix® queue rather than seeing it in expensive theatres.
All in all, Keeping Up with the Steins has a good premise, however the premise was not compelling enough to be considered for a major motion picture. Sweet though, I would put this in the back corner of my TiVo® wishlists or my Netflix® queue rather than seeing it in expensive theatres.
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Keeping Up With The Steins [DVD](2006) DVD
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Keeping Up with the Steins Review-lite [150-word cap]
A tongue-in-cheek yet light hearted comedy addressing the ever-escalating competition between Jewish families to passionately out-do each other with increasingly lavish Bar-mitzvah parties, Keeping Up with the Steins transports us into the Brentwood, Los Angeles neighborhood home of Benjamin (Daryl Sabara) whose father Adam (Jeremy Piven) suffers from abandonment issues due to his father, Irwin (Garry Marshall) running out on him and his mother as a child and plans, therefore, to throw a party that ensures his son will know the true depth of his love. What Benjamin really wants to tell his parents but which he cannot find a way to do so is that he doesn't wish to keep up with the Steins. He really desires a scaled-down affair focused on his family. All in all, Keeping Up with the Steins, has a good premise, however the premise was insufficiently compelling to warrant a major motion picture.
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