TODAY THE PARTY; TOMORROW THE BILLS IN OVER-THE-TOP `STEINS'.

Byline: Bob Strauss Film Critic

We don't see many Steins in ``Keeping Up With the Steins,'' an ostensible comedy about the insane lengths Brentwood Jews go to to provide their tweens with the most extravagant bar and bat mitzvah parties in the history of mankind.

That's because this likable, undemanding family get-together is really more of a generational reconciliation drama than a sendup of conspicuous consumption. That's nice and well-meaning and feel-goody as far as it goes. But me, I would've preferred to see the Dodgers' starting lineup in Star of David batting helmets.

It's the family Fiedler that we're actually dealing with here. Stein is dad Adam's former business partner, now a rival in the talent agent game. Adam is played by Jeremy Piven, who reportedly made this film before becoming the ultimate id-monster agent Ari Gold on HBO's ``Entourage.'' Adam is a much better-

behaved, nicer mensch than Ari. Not nearly as much fun, though.

But he's got his issues. First of which: The ``Titanic''-

themed Stein boy's party has got to be topped by his own son Benjamin's (``Spy Kids' '' Daryl Sabara) coming-of-age do. Hence the planned Dodger Stadium spectacle.

Adam's second big issue: his father, Irwin. Played by Garry Marshall, whose son Scott directed ``Steins,'' Irwin abandoned his family soon after Adam's own miserable bar mitzvah, and his son has never forgiven him. But Ben invites his grandpa to visit a week before the ceremony. Long-haired Irwin arrives at the Brentwood manse with his flower-child girlfriend (Daryl Hannah) in tow.

Everyone is pleased to see the wayward patriarch, even his forgiving ex-wife, Rose (Doris Roberts). Everyone except Adam, of course. But when he's not (rightfully) chewing out the glad-handing old skinny dipper, Adam has a third issue to contend with: Ben is a really lousy Torah student, and the last thing he wants to do is chant Hebrew in front of a stadium-size audience.

I really don't have to tell you how all this plays out, do I? Grandfather helps grandson come out of his shell and get in touch with the true meaning of Judaism. The old man really does want to make up for his transgressions. They all work to bring Adam around, as does his lovely wife, Joanne, played by the always appealing Jami Gertz.

But that's kind of the movie's basic problem. Everyone's a little too decent for the family conflict to register much impact, and the comedy is too timid to really make much of a satirical statement.

That said, Marshall's film certainly has more heft to it than any of his father's sitcoms -- or, for that matter, most of the features that Garry's directed. A few characters stay within cartoon dimensions, but, for the most part, the ensemble creates warm, breathing characters.

Still, party at the House of Koufax ... sounds pretty great to me.

Bob Strauss, [phone]

bob.strauss(at)dailynews.com

KEEPING UP WITH THE STEINS - Two and one half stars

(PG-13: nudity, language, substance abuse)

Starring: Garry Marshall, Jeremy Piven, Jami Gertz, Daryl Sabara, Daryl Hannah, Doris Roberts.

Director: Scott Marshall.

Running time: 1 hr. 24 min.

Playing: In wide release.

In a nutshell: Well-meaning but obvious dramedy about three generations of Brentwood males overcoming their differences while planning a ridiculously expensive bar mitzvah.

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Photo:

Jami Gertz and Jeremy Piven are the proud parents of bar mitzvah boy Daryl Sabara in ``Keeping Up With the Steins.''