Family Prayers

Stars: Joe Mantegna (Body of Evidence, Homicide), Anne Archer (Body of Evidence, Narrow Margin, Fatal Attraction), Paul Reiser (Beverly Hills Cop, Aliens), Patti Lupone (Driving Miss Daisy), Tzvi Ratner-Stauber. This well-intentioned family drama gets off to a winning start with a likable protagonist in a bad situation. Newcomer Tzvi Ratner-Stauber is Andrew Jacobs, a 13-year-old Jewish boy living in Los Angeles, circa 1969, who's having trouble with his studies for his upcoming bar mitzvah. His big distraction is his family, which is falling apart, thanks to his father's (Joe Mantegna) compulsive gambling. Constantly arguing with his wife Rita (Anne Archer), Martin promises to clean up his act, but of course doesn't. Unfortunately, after setting up the keep-the-family-together-at-all-costs theme, Family Prayers proceeds to tread water until the final reel, letting secondary characters like Andrew's hippie tutor (Paul Reiser) and the caustic Aunt Nan (Patti Lupone) steal the show. Andrew's father continues his somewhat unrealistic gambling (how many textile factory workers can honestly play in games where a $500 bet is no big deal or lay down $5,000 on a single sports bet?), and Andrew practices for his bar mitzvah, and...the central drama doesn't advance. On the plus side, however, the line by line writing is mostly good and Ratner-Stauber and Mantegna as the son and father turn in creditable performances. Audience: Those looking for a moderately entertaining family story that is serious without being too heavy.