Arts & Enter ainment AT THE MOVIES What, Meryl? from page 71 encourage patients to have rela- tionships within their respective faiths. It's easier. I encourage them to go to mosque or church or whatever. I think religion is paramount in a person's life." David: "OK, yes. But encourag- ing them is not discouraging them. And I know that you draw the line there. Would you tell your patient not to date someone that they don't think they're going to marry?" Lisa: "Oh quit asking me what I tell my patients. They're not my children." The Dilemma Therein lies the dilemma. Parents teach their children to love everyone equally, to not dis- criminate, to help the poor, heal the sick, defend the weak — but only date within the faith? "We can have all sorts of rules in the world, but when it's our own children the rules go out the win- dow',' Streep said. "You know, what's objectively best is different from what's subjectively understood to be the best for your own kids." In real life, of course, Streep is not Jewish, and she does not believe in marrying within the faith: "I believe in diversity. And mixing up the DNA — I think it's very good. I believe in making a mess in life. And as for my daughter's husband, I have one demand: He better be nice!" Even so, Streep did not find it difficult to play Lisa. "I wanted her to be kind of momish, roundish',' Steep said. "We picked clothes that were a lit- tle bit too tight so that everything looks lumpish. She's nicely grdomed and everything, but she doesn't care about the style label and I'm sure she goes to Loehmann's and tries to get a bar- gain. She spends a lot of money on her jewelry basically [because] they don't make clothes for women her age, her size, her style — that's not what fashion is about anymore, so you sort of compen- Playing Streep's Son 1 Suzanne Chessler I Special to the Jewish News B ryan Greenberg, who plays David in Prime, wasn't born in Michigan, but he has strong Michigan roots. His mom and dad, Denny (Barsdorf) and Carl Greenberg, met while they were students at Wayne State University and married before taking psychology jobs outside the state. A personal tie to Prime might Although this will be the first New York opening that Denny and Carl Greenberg will be attending, sate with interesting necklaces:' Streep said her character has a universality beyond Judaism: "At base we all feel the same things: You want to protect your kid. You want them to move out, but you want them to come around all the time — I mean you're very conflicted as a parent and it goes forever." But Streep also understands her character's concern about intermarriage. "When you marry outside of your religion, In her Upper West Side home, Lisa Metzger (Meryl Streep) discusses Raft's (Uma Thurman) dating her son. you set up a whole different bunch of difficulties and chal- lenges:' Although Prime is just a good as we say it is, why is it when it comes to dating as well. movie, and only one man's take threatening to speak to someone "If Judaism is so wonderful on such a heavy topic, perhaps who isn't Jewish?" — and it is — then why close such pop-culture works are a bet- Said Younger: "It is a great reli- yourself off?" said the tall, New ter indicator of the cultural zeit- gion; it is a great way of life. It York hipster. "Anyone who geist than proclamations from on touches on your daily life in a way knows me knows it's so high. that I haven't seen any other reli- ingrained, I am Jewish through Younger believes the Jewish gion — so why this fear?" he and throughout, and it's how I community — the religious com- said. "Why immediately close off am, so why not share that with munity — needs to be more someone from your world? someone else?" open to the "other" in the world, Maybe they'll love it, too." ❑ He could have been quoting when it comes to the arts and the David character: "If it's as they were at one in Los Angeles. They went to see the debut of The Perfect Score and met the other stars, including Erika Christensen and Scarlett Johansson. "Premieres are not quite what be that the movie has to do with the analyst mother character por- trayed by Meryl Streep, but mom says there's a stronger tie. In the film, Streep's character stresses that she wants her son to marry a Jewish woman, which is what Denny Greenberg repeats to her son. "Bryan told me that when he went to audition and found out about this Jewish angle, he said, 'I live this role:" Denny Greenberg laughs. "I'm very excited that Bryan got the part and that we were invited to the premiere" 72 they seem on television" says Denny Greenberg, who lives in St. Louis. "The stars come in formal wear, but others are in business suits or even jeans. Basically, it's a chance for people to promote their product and network with others." Bryan, 27, who was born in Omaha, knew from childhood that he wanted to be an actor. His par- ents did not discourage him, but they encouraged him to take part in a variety of activities beyond theater. He started working in his chosen field when he was a stu- dent at New York University. "I wanted him to stay ground- ed, and encouraged him to get a good education" says Bryan's mom, a 1969 Oak Park High graduate who was active in B'nai B'rith Girls and lived in the area until she was 25. "My philosophy is to expose children to lots of experiences." The Greenberg family, with includes kindergarten teacher Rebecca, enjoys turning on the television to see Bryan on many shows, such as One Tree Hill, Boston Public, Third Watch and Law & Order. "I'm very proud of Bryan:' Denny Greenberg says. "I also find this all very surreal." Rebecca, Carl, Bryan and Denny Greenberg in a recent family photo October 27 . 2005