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(About Our Ads) "KEEPING UP WITH THE STEINS" (2006) (Daryl Sabara, Garry Marshall) (PG-13) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Heavy Minor Heavy Minor Minor Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Moderate None None Mild Moderate Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Heavy *None Heavy Moderate None QUICK TAKE: Comedy: A young teenager tries to reunite his father and long-estranged grandfather as they all prepare for the boy's upcoming Bar Mitzvah. PLOT: Benjamin Fiedler (DARYL SABARA) is a typical teenage boy who lives with his dad Adam (JEREMY PIVEN), mom Joanne (JAMI GERTZ) and Adam's mother Rose (DORIS ROBERTS), and is dreading his Bar Mitzvah that's quickly approaching. That's not only due to being worried about speaking in front of a crowd or trying to impress schoolmate Ashley (BRITTANY ROBERTSON), but also because he's just attended the same ceremony for his friend Zachary (CARTER JENKINS). That boy's father, Arnie Stein (LARRY MILLER) -- Adam's former business partner in the talent agency field -- has just thrown the Bar Mitzvah to end all such events, and Adam feels he has to compete in order to save face. Realizing that will only mean added anguish for himself, Benjamin decides to try to divert his dad's attention by inviting his long-estranged father, Irwin (GARRY MARSHALL), and girlfriend Sandy Frost (DARYL HANNAH) - a.k.a. Sacred Feather -- to the big event. Irwin walked out on Rose and Adam 26 years ago, and Adam has never forgiven him for that or embarrassing him at his own Bar Mitzvah. Accordingly, he's not pleased when Irwin and Sandy show up unexpectedly and two weeks early. As those two try to sort out their feelings about each other, Benjamin prepares for his big day, all while getting advice and encouragement from them, Rabbi Schulberg (RICHARD BENJAMIN), Zachary and others. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Those in the same boat as the protagonist (facing an upcoming Bar Mitzvah) might be interested, but unless others are fans of someone in the cast, it doesn't seem too likely. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13 For some crude language, nudity and brief drug references. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: DARYL SABARA plays a young teenager who dreads his upcoming Bar Mitzvah for a variety of reasons. Accordingly, he secretly invites his grandfather to attend (in hopes of that diffusing his father's overzealousness in preparing for the ceremony) and then gets to know him. He drinks alcohol with his friends in one scene (and then gets sick) and has a crush on Ashley. JEREMY PIVEN plays his tightly-wound father who uses a little profanity, drinks, has a bad attitude toward his own father, and feels the need to compete against Arnie in terms of throwing an extravagant Bar Mitzvah for his son. JAMI GERTZ plays his wife who's more patient and understanding, although she eventually has enough of the two men not getting along. She uses a little profanity. GARRY MARSHALL plays Benjamin's hippie-ish grandfather with a much younger girlfriend (with whom he frolics in the pool nude) who accepts the invite to attend the ceremony, although he doesn't realize his son won't be welcoming to him. He clashes with him, all while getting to know and help his grandson. He also uses a little profanity. DORIS ROBERTS plays Benjamin's grandmother who never divorced Irwin despite him walking out on her and their son so many years ago. DARYL HANNAH plays Irwin's free-spirited girlfriend who accompanies him on the trip to his grandson's Bar Mitzvah. LARRY MILLER plays Adam's former business partner who's likewise ultra-competitive with him. CARTER JENKINS plays Benjamin's friend who tries to give him advice about life, girls and going through one's Bar Mitzvah. He uses some profanity and sexually related dialogue. BRITTANY ROBERTSON plays the object of Benjamin's crush who doesn't want much to do with him until Irwin promises to give her a horse (actually a pony) if she attends the ceremony. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this dramedy that's been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of at least 1 "s" word along with some slang terms for sex and body parts, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also used. Some sexually related dialogue is present, as are several views of an older man's bare butt after he's been in a pool with his younger girlfriend, who's also nude (but mostly obscured, beyond a few brief and partial views of her bare breasts). Varying amounts of cleavage are also seen, and a soft-core website is briefly seen (and heard) on a computer. Various bits of potentially imitative behavior are present, including a 13-year-old boy and his friends secretly drinking at his parents' house (and the boy later gets sick). Other drinking occurs, as do a few drug-related comments. Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes, including a father not being happy with his long-estranged father, all of which leads (among other things) to some tense family material. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Adults have real drinks (including wine) while kids have fake ones at a Bar Mitzvah. A rapper at a Bar Mitzvah substitutes the words "beer," "wine" and "tequila" for the traditional wording of the song "Hava Nagila." Explaining the aftereffect of his Bar Mitzvah to Benjamin, Zachary says it's not like he's drinking, smoking or driving after it. Giving his son and Joanne an Indian gift, Irwin says, "Sniff it, don't smoke it." Adam has a mostly finished glass of wine in front of him while watching an old video. Benjamin, Zachary and another friend their age pour tiny bits of liquor from the Fiedler stock into glasses (saying the parents won't see the difference since so little is coming from each bottle -- and they say this occurrence is about becoming a man). They then drink and react adversely to the taste, with all then reacting to the alcohol's effect. When Adam and Joanne return home early, the kids race to put away the bottles and then act as if nothing occurred. Later, and believing Benjamin to be drunk, Irwin talks of gutting fish after catching them, and then asks his grandson, "Drunk or stoned?" Benjamin then vomits and when Joanne enters, Irwin lies to cover for him, including saying he was the one who's been drinking when Joanne says she smells alcohol. The family has wine with dinner. Adam then pours more for himself in the kitchen and then drinks straight from the bottle. People have wine and beer at Benjamin's Bar Mitzvah party. Referring to Irwin quoting Sandy, Adam snidely replies, "Did she say that before or after she smoked the peyote?" BLOOD/GORE Trying to get away from the camera crew his father hired to follow his every move, Benjamin tells them that he has to go to the bathroom and they seem ready to follow them. Later, when Sandy arrives at their house, she asks Joanne where the bathroom is. We hear Benjamin vomit into a trash can from drinking booze (and Irwin jokingly refers to that as Niagara Falls in color). We see a miscellaneous man with his finger way up his nose (and Irwin refers to that -- over his truck loudspeaker -- as digging for gold). When asked what he's doing up at night, Irwin tells Rose that he has the heart of a child but the bladder of a Chihuahua. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Zachary plants a big and long kiss on a model made to look like Kate Winslet's character in "Titanic" (and the young woman isn't pleased by that). We hear that Irwin ran out on his family 26 years ago, but that Rose never divorced him. Adam doesn't want him to attend the Bar Mitzvah, but Benjamin secretly invites him, stating the event is 2 weeks before it really is (all to get his dad off his back about the planning, etc.). Referring to his father, Adam says he's a bum. Zachary comments on Ashley, saying that a month ago she didn't have any "t*ts" and now does. Adam has a bad attitude toward his father and Sandy when they first show up, slamming the door in their faces. He also has a bad attitude toward Joanne, thinking she's the one who invited him (when it was really Benjamin). Irwin lies to Joanne to cover for Benjamin having been intoxicated (after telling the boy it's okay to experiment with things, but just once). As Benjamin practices for his Bar Mitzvah, some other kids in his class make fun of him. Irwin gets Ashley to like Benjamin and agree to attend his Bar Mitzvah by promising he'll get her a horse. When Irwin then says that will be a Shetland Pony, Benjamin refers to that as a "midget horse." After almost having an accident, an angry man gets out of his car and berates Irwin (with Benjamin in the passenger seat) but then backs down when the latter pulls out a sword. One of the boys comments on a smart girl suddenly looking attractive: "Check out brainiac." Some viewers might not like the film having the main rabbi say "Holy sh*t." Arnie continues to remain competitive with Adam, badmouthing the Bar Mitzvah party he's hosting for his son. FRIGHTENING SCENES After almost having an accident, an angry man gets out of his car and berates Irwin (with Benjamin in the passenger seat). Irwin then gets out and holds out his cane that doesn't impress or threaten the man who goes to yank it away, but really just pulls away the sheath on a sword that then commands the man's attention and causes him to back away. To get his dad and grandfather to stop arguing at his Bar Mitzvah party, Benjamin jumps into the pool fully clothed (and they do so as well to "rescue" him when he stays at the bottom of the pool). GUNS/WEAPONS Benjamin watches a TV program showing tribal teens carrying spears. Adam makes a mocking gesture of shooting himself in the mouth with a handgun (complete with symbolizing blood and/or brain matter spraying out the back of his head). After almost having an accident, an angry man gets out of his car and berates Irwin (with Benjamin in the passenger seat). Irwin then gets out and holds out his cane that doesn't impress or threaten the man who goes to yank it away, but really just pulls away the sheath on a sword that then commands the man's attention and causes him to back away. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "Holy sh*t," "Today, I am king of the Torah" (said like Leonard DiCaprio in "Titanic"), "A big time bite," "She was totally hot," "It's all bull," "That's a hell of a theme," "So freaked out," "What the hell /is this/is that?" "To kiss butt," "Shut up," "What is this, queer eye for the straight goy?" "You can't beat our meat" (a butcher's slogan), "Your grandma's a hottie," "Pompous ass," "Midget horse," "Schmuck," "You big jerk," "Oh jeez," "Screw up," "Check out brainiac," "Did she say that before of after she smoked the peyote?" "Bust my tuckus" and "Get in the friggin' chair." Adam makes a mocking gesture of shooting himself in the mouth with a handgun (complete with symbolizing blood and/or brain matter spraying out the back of his head). Zachary tells Benjamin that the way he deals with pressure is to distract himself by putting his hand into his pocket and squeezing his "balls." Later, he gestures for Benjamin to do that during his speech, and Benjamin apparently does. We see the sponsor slogan inside Adam's old yarmulke from his Bar Mitzvah (from the local butcher) that reads, "You can't beat our meat." Benjamin, Zachary and another friend their age pour tiny bits of liquor from the Fiedler stock into glasses (saying the parents won't see the difference since so little is coming from each bottle -- and they say this occurrence is about becoming a man). Benjamin and his friend belch after drinking a combination of various forms of alcohol. We see a miscellaneous man with his finger way up his nose (and Irwin refers to that -- over his truck loudspeaker -- as digging for gold). A miscellaneous guy has many tattoos. To get his dad and grandfather to stop arguing at his Bar Mitzvah party, Benjamin jumps into the pool fully clothed (and they do so as well to "rescue" him when he stays at the bottom of the pool). JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) None. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) A rapper at a Bar Mitzvah substitutes the words "beer," "wine" and "tequila" for the traditional wording of the song "Hava Nagila." A song has a line where the singer complains that none of the women "want to get with me." PROFANITY At least 1 "s" word, 2 slang terms for sex ("laid"), 1 slang term for breasts ("t*ts"), 1 possible one for male genitals (what sounded like "hoo-hah"), 4 craps, 4 hells, 2 asses and 1 use each of "For the love of God," "Oh God" and "Oh my God." Adam appears to be cussing in his truck (seen from a distance and with the windows rolled up, so we can't hear anything) and it looks like he's using the "f" word (but not being lip-readers, we can't say for sure). SEX/NUDITY Some women dressed as mermaids show cleavage in their small bikini tops. We hear that Arnie met his "trophy wife" at a wet t-shirt contest (not seen). Zachary plants a big and long kiss on a model made to look like Kate Winslet's character in "Titanic" (and the young woman isn't pleased by that). An event planner shows a lot of cleavage, especially when bent over. The camera focuses on Sandy's butt in her tight jeans as she walks by (and has a brochure in her back pocket). A song has a line where the singer complains that none of the women "want to get with me." Zachary tells Benjamin that the way he deals with pressure is to distract himself by putting his hand into his pocket and squeezing his "balls." Later, he gestures for Benjamin to do that during his speech, and Benjamin apparently does. Zachary comments on Ashley, saying that a month ago she didn't have any "t*ts" and now does. A girl then turns around, refers to them as secondary sexual characteristics, and notes that some people are late bloomers in such regards. Explaining the aftereffect of his Bar Mitzvah to Benjamin, Zachary says he wasn't "getting laid" before the event and is "not getting laid now." Joanne shows a little cleavage in various outfits during the film (including a nightgown that shows more when she's lying on her side in it). We see the sponsor slogan inside Adam's old yarmulke from his Bar Mitzvah (from the local butcher) that reads, "You can't beat our meat." We see Irwin's full rear nudity as he goes skinny-dipping in the swimming pool with Sandy (as he jumps in, he jokingly complains that he lands on his -- what sounded like -- "hoo-hah"). She's in an inner-tube type float, so we can't see any of her nudity (at this moment). When Benjamin's friend spot her, one says, "You're grandma's a hottie." We see another view of Irwin's bare butt and when Adam sees this and Irwin sucking on Sandy's toe, he complains of "weird, naked, hippie sex" in his Jacuzzi. He then complains to Irwin about that sight upsetting Benjamin, so Irwin gets out of the water and we nearly see his full frontal nudity (his crotch is barely blocked by a foreground object). He wraps a towel around himself and walks toward the house, but we see his bare butt again. Sandy then talks to Adam and Joanne from the water, and we see several quick and partial views of her bare breasts that draw Adam's attention. He starts to go to get a towel for her, but Joanne says she'll get it (noting where his attention is focused). We see Adam shirtless in his bedroom. Arnie's wife wears a midriff-revealing and tight top that shows off her figure. Benjamin remembers an earlier view of Irwin getting into the pool and being fully nude (seen from behind). Adam accidentally backs into Benjamin's computer from where we then hear a sultry female voice, "Oh high there." We then see a bikini clad woman on the screen posing for a website called Bikini-Clad Babes.com. Adam then tells Benjamin that the boy isn't old enough "to go on that ride" (after previously talking about rides and height requirements). SMOKING None, but explaining the aftereffect of his Bar Mitzvah to Benjamin, Zachary says it's not like he's drinking, smoking or driving after it. TENSE FAMILY SCENES We hear that Irwin ran out on his family 26 years ago, but that Rose never divorced him. Adam doesn't want him to attend the Bar Mitzvah, but Benjamin secretly invites him, stating the event is 2 weeks before it really is (all to get his dad off his back about the planning, etc.). Referring to his father, Adam says he's a bum. Adam has a bad attitude toward his father and Sandy when they first show up, slamming the door in their face. He also has a bad attitude toward Joanne, thinking she's the one who invited him (when it was really Benjamin). Adam continues to be unhappy and/or perturbed with his father over his past abandonment of them. Benjamin is mad at his dad for being mad at Irwin and disinviting him from the Bar Mitzvah. Tired of Adam and his attitude toward Irwin, Joanne bluntly tells him, "Get over it." TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT The transition from childhood to adulthood. Bar Mitzvahs and the comment that the point of an extravagant one is to be impressive. Parents who compete against each other through their kids. Benjamin and his friends secretly drinking booze (and Benjamin then getting sick from that). We hear the occupation of a talent agent defined as a pimp for TV and movie stars. As an event planner shows the Fielders her previous party-related work, she points out the production design for a Rastafarian gay marriage. We hear that Sandy is a vegan. Joanne's comment that as parents they worry (saying that's what they do). Dealing with stage fright and/or public speaking. VIOLENCE None. Reviewed May 8, 2006 / Posted May 26, 2006