Keeping Up With the Steins

Keeping up with the Steins is a movie about a young boy's preparation for his bar mitzvah.

The movie begins as Zach Stein's (Carter Jenkins) Titanic themed bar mitzvah on a cruise ship that his father, Arnie Stein (Larry Miller) has rented. Later in the movie we find out the bar mitzvah cost $500,000.00.

It is now time for Benjamin Fiedler (Daryl Sabara) to start planning his Super Sweet bar mitzvah. His parents Adam (Jeremy Piven) & Joanne (Jami Gertz) want one better then the Steins could ever thing about throwing. Ben gets a little overwhelmed in the whole planning. He is getting pressure from party-planner Casey (Cheryl Hines) to pick a theme. Ben finally picks a theme on the first thing he sees, his Los Angeles Dodgers cap. Adam rents out Dodger Stadium and even has booked Neil Diamond to sing the national anthem (who by the way looks fantastic for being 66 years old!)

The only thing Ben wants to do is reunite his father and grandfather, Irwin (Garry Marshall) who have been estranged for 26 years after Irwin left Adam's mother Rose, (Doris Roberts). Irwin is now working on a Native American reservation with a New Age woman, Sacred Feather/Sandy Frost (Daryl Hannah). Ben send Irwin an invitation for him to come two weeks early. Irwin comes to town with Sandy and hilarity ensues. Irwin & Sandy go skinny dipping in the pool and you see some old man butt. Adam is going crazy because he cannot let go of the past no matter how many times Irwin apologizes.

Benjamin doesn't want to go through with his bar mitzvah, as he doesn't even understand the words of the haftorah he has to read as part of his bar-mitzvah rite. Ben finally learn from the request of his grandfather and rabbit the meaning of the bar mitzvah and it is just not an excuse for an over the top party.

I thought the movie ok. I wasn't really impressed. Really the only thing it had going for it was the notable cast. I was also confused with the whole Adam Fielder character. The movie says that he is a Hollywood agent but he actually spends time with his family. Ari Gold spends no time with his family...so maybe Adam is not that good of an agent. I give this movie a 4 out of 10.