Everything's fine at first, of course. Jake, played by Ben Stiller, is confident that his unorthodox sermons are the way to go, and indeed both Brian and Jake draw large congregations to their respective churches with their interesting and refreshing styles. But when the three friends start to spend a lot of time together, it becomes clear that things are about to change. Brian's vows prevent him from being anything more than a friend to Anna, but Judaism places no such restriction on Jake, and ultimately Jake and Anna begin sleeping together. Both know that Anna will only be in town for a short while, and they decide to hide their relationship from Brian. Jake also feels the need to hide it from his mother who would not approve of him dating a non-Jewish woman. Jake knows that Anna will be leaving, and he's comfortable with that. So when Anna decides she wants to stay in New York and live with him, he panics and dumps her. Needing a friend, she calls Brian who comes over to her apartment, and well, if you want to know what happens next you'll have to go and see the film.
Keeping the Faith is an immensely enjoyable film. It strikes just the right balance between comedy and seriousness and the result is natural and quite believable. The acting is excellent, and the film makes good use of New York City locations, but its real strength is its screenplay which is thoughtful and intelligent. The church and synagogue scenes are particularly good, adding a little wisdom to the story, and there is a brilliant scene which takes place while the two men are waiting to cross the road at a 'Don't Walk' sign.
Keeping the Faith is Edward Norton's first film as director, and he's done a wonderful job. This is one of the best films I've seen in the last few months, and I highly recommend it.