Review #648 of 365
Movie Review of You Don't Mess with the Zohan (2008) [PG-13] 113 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $10.25
Where Viewed: AMC Theatres Orchard 12, Westminster, CO
When Seen: 6 June 2008
Time: 12:01 am
DVD Release Date: 7 October 2008 (click date to purchase or pre-order)
After the Credits: There is nothing to see after the credits.
Film's Official Website • Film's Trailer
Soundtrack: order the CD below
Directed by: Dennis Dugan (I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry)
Written by: Adam Sandler (Eight Crazy Nights) • Robert Smigel ("Saturday Night Live") • Judd Apatow (Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story)
Featured Cast (Where You Might Remember Him/Her From):
Adam Sandler (I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry) • John Turturro (Transformers) • Emmanuelle Chriqui ("Entourage") • Nick Swardson (I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry) • Lainie Kazan (Bratz: The Movie) • Ido Mosseri (Offside) • Rob Schneider (I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry) • Dave Matthews (I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry) • Michael Buffer (Rocky Balboa) • Charlotte Rae ("The Facts of Life") • Sayed Badreya (Iron Man) • Daoud Heidami (debut) • Kevin Nealon ("Weeds")
Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word or less review of this film]
Click to see photos from the Premiere of You Don't Mess with the Zohan
Click to read the spoiler points for You Don't Mess with the Zohan
Translation: Zohan was ok...once you shelve any political correctness principles you might employ and accept that, while the film simultaneously skewers and espouses gross caricaturizations and stereotyping of both Israeli Jews and Palestinian Muslims, it also seeks to find common ground and illustrate harmonious, successfully peaceful co-habitation in a "gleaming city of hope and peace" known the world over as New York.
The story, as the too long, too revealing trailer reveals, presents the unfulfilled life of Moussad Super Agent, Zohan (Adam Sandler), whose physical and personal modesty are only occasionally upstaged in life by his incredible head of hair and super bushy beard perhaps revealing the prowess of his other 'follically' unimpaired body regions which make for one of the many annoyingly repetitive running gags not the least of which is his and his father's penchant for using hummus as everything from a coffee flavoring to toothpaste. Zohan, after learning that his arch enemy, The Phantom (played by a "couldn't have been more miscast if they had cast Mel Gibson" John Turturro), has been released from Israeli prison in exchange for two barely significant Israeli counter-terrorists and a "spy to be named later", bashfully informs his parents he plans to leave the army and go to America to become a hair stylist. This doesn't go over well as they, proving that, in these writer's eyes at least, the "all hair stylists are gay" stereotype is true the world over, tease him about his sexual orientation. So, he's left with no choice but to fake his death in a 'final' showdown with the Phantom who emerges a 'false' hero for his people and an iconic celebrity owner of a chain of Middle Eastern fast food restaurants on the heels of Zohan's demise. Now free of his familial and national obligations, he travels to his dreamy America. He arrives bright-eyed and unjaded only to find his possession of an outdated Paul Mitchell styling book and a heart of gold will not only not get him a walk-on position with Paul Mitchell but won't get him any job anywhere. That is until a Palestinian immigrant electronic store owner / admirer recognizes him and offers to help ultimately landing him at the Palestinian immigrant-owned hair salon across the street.
Adam Sandler is spot on perfect in the role delivering his best comedic performance in 10 films.
Logically, one can conclude that it's going to be Zohan to the rescue at some point (not until we've seen 25 more nasty uses for hummus). The how, where, what, and when are left up to the spoiler to be revealed.
Depending on your threshold for Adam Sandler comedies (now 'enhanced' as briefly noted above by the 'it' comedy dude Judd Apatow with co-writing credits with Mr. Sandler and "SNL" vet Robert Smigel), your tolerance for stereotyped-based humor, and your patience level that, at some point in time, you'll see a silver lining in any proverbial gray cloud, you may or may not enjoy this occasionally raucous comedy. Minus the hummus, several wide angle and close up shots of either the real naked backside of Adam Sandler or that of a stunt double (thankfully we are spared equally in-your-face frontal shots though not ample, vividly detailed verbal descriptions), and the one Zohan limo-driving-induced Technicolor® yawn by cameo enduring Henry "still can't shed The Fonze" Winkler scene, the film's 'gross out factor' would fall into the 'very tame' region of the Apatow or Sandler spectra.
…a comedic but uneven film that will push everyone's buttons not always the right way.
Alternate Posters
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Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
Other Projects Featuring You Don't Mess with the Zohan (2008)
Cast Members
Adam Sandler • John Turturro • Emmanuelle Chriqui
Nick Swardson • Lainie Kazan • Ido Mosseri
Rob Schneider • Dave Matthews • Michael Buffer
Charlotte Rae • Daoud Heidami
Director
Dennis Dugan
Writers
Adam Sandler • Robert Smigel • Judd Apatow
1 comment:
Adam Sandler is classic, though he tends to do his best work when he stays casual, not trying too hard to be funny or deep, etc.
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