$1.00 OFF a grande size doodle dand (when you present this coupon) Peter Riegert and Isabella Rosselini play husband and wife in "King of the Cornen" Elkin, sent the book as a gift. Riegert had been on the prowl for material to direct and, hooked by the title, he zoomed through the book, phoned Shapiro immediately, and they set about adapting the stories into a screenplay. Riegert, 58, allows that he was not only attracted to the drama of ordinary life but to the notion that Jewish identi- ty and morality are present even in thor- oughly assimilated Jews. "I think what Gerry is getting at [is] at the end of the day, good or bad, you're a Jew," Riegert explains, on the phone from New York. "But how reli- gious a Jewish person is, even a devout person asks that of themselves. You're forever arguing with yourself and your relationship with God — or not God." Riegert notes that many Holocaust survivors grappled with their faith, but less momentous events can ignite an internal debate. "I don't think you need to go through that to have that wrestling match," he says. For his part, Riegert was raised in a BEANER'S• rron-observant Jewish household and is not observant today. "I was aware of being Jewish, and I don't mean that in a small way," he declares. But he's become a traveling Jew of late, devoting a full eight months to self- distributing King of the Corner. Like a band touring to promote a new album, Riegert is out on the road with his movie. And he's likely to meet bad Jews — of every faith — at every stop. ❑ Gourmet Coffee 3377 Orchard Lake Road Keego Harbor, MI 48320 248-706-3471 www.beaners.com hours: Mon - Sat 6am - 10prn • Sun 7am - 10pm Valid at this location only. No copies of this coupon will be accepted. Not valid with any other offer. Offer expires July 1, 2005. Manhattan Deli King of the Corner opens at the Maple Art Theater in Bloomfield Township on Friday, June 24, and Saturday, June 25, with a special appearance by the film's co-writer, director and star, Peter Riegert, who will introduce the film at each screening. For more informa- tion, call (248) 263-2111. (Formerly Manhattan Bagel) GRA 1) I 6 Catering • Party Trays I • Homemade 1 Soups & Salads 39690 Buy Get the second at 50% OFF! 14 Mile Road • Walled Lake, Ml 248.960.3111 • Fx: 248.960.3821 wise fool who does regrets. His longtime his best counseling at companion Inez the dog track. (Rita Moreno) and Shapiro and Leo wryly agree, "If Riegert aren't inter- he could have made ested in satirizing a living pissing peo- organized Jewish reli- ple off, he'd be a rich gion — although man." Leo's earlier meeting A man of no with a funeral direc- accomplishments, Peter Riegert directorial debut mir- tor, at Sol's insis- Sol still has the edge rors his own screen persona, which is tence, is savagely on Leo because he to say it unpretentious, self-deprecat- funny — but in reinvented himself ing and uncommonly decent, upending cliches and twice — when he reveling in the left Lithuania for absurdities of everyday life. America as a boy and years later when King of the Corner, which moves at a he moved to the desert after Leo's moth- deliberate pace until a pivotal event er died. Both of those took gumption, upends Leo's world, achieves a definite but what's Leo ever done? momentum although it stops well short Leo numbly tolerates Sol's kvetching, of farce. In a sense its direction is back- just as he hears Rachel's imprecations ward, for Leo steadily regresses from and the demands of his ambitious pro- adulthood to adolescence. tege (Jake Hoffman — Dustin's son — Until, that is, he's on the verge of los- playing a droll variation of Sammy ing everything. Although Leo is not Glick) with only one ear. fully redeemed by the end of this But his wake-up call arrives in the mature and rewarding film, he's discov- form of a rabbi with the moniker of ered what it is to be a good Jew. ❑ Evelyn Fink (Eric Bogosian), a kind of 1 1 Sandwich at reg. price 1 1 J Hours: Mon-Sat: 10-8 Sun: 10-3 992400 "House of India's Northern cuisine is a taste treat." –Danny Raskin, Sept. 2004 10% OFF •Full Bar TOTAL BILL •Catering Dinner only/One coupon per table Expires 7131/05 $ 1 •Carry-out .00 OFF each LUNCH BUFFET 7 days a week Up to 6 people per coupon Expires 7/31105 HOUSE OF INDIA Mon-Thur 11:30am-10pm Fri 11:30am-11pm Sat 12pm-11pm • Sun 12pm-lOpm For Authentic Indian Cuisine 248-553-7391 28841 Orchard Lake Road (between 12 & 13 Mile Rd.) • Farmington Hills Great New Summer Merc an ise only at ACCESSORIES2YOU TRENDY TEES VINTAGE ONE OF A KIND - - - LAMPSHADES LOTIONS BY JAQUA As seen in Style Magazine 2900 Orchard Lake Rd. downtown Keego c3i456Wiext to the Dairy Queen 248-682-3125 98,2V 6/23 2005 45