You Don’t Mess with the Zohan (2008) starring Adam Sandler, Rob Schnedier, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Nick Swardson, John Turturro, Mariah Carey, John McEnroe and Lanie Kazan.
Adam Sandler plays a uber-studly Israeli commando who just wants to go to Ameri-ca and make hair “silky smooth” like his idol, Paul Mitchell. This over-the-top, campy satire on Israeli-Palenstinian conflict does thread on thin ice at times, with its ultra-crude, tasteless, and adolescent boy humor – but what did you expect from Sandler, Judd Apatow and Robert Smigel?
Sandler’s buff appearance seems digitally enhanced in the film while someone in wardrobe must have stuffed his crotch with extra large tube socks!
Zohan, in the opening scenes, is shown dancing with Isareli beauties on the beaches of Tel Aviv as well as displaying mighty feats of strength. But alas, poor Zohan becomes weary of his day job as a top-gun commando so he fakes his own death against his arch-nemesis, The Phantom (John Turturro) and stows away with two dogs on a plane to New York. He takes their names, Coco and Scrappy, and begins a new life for himself in what looks like Atlantic Avenue in downtown Brooklyn. After a humiliating interview at the Paul Mitchell hair salon on Fifth Avenue, Zohan finds his first job in Brooklyn as a floor sweeper for the sexy Dalia, a Palestinian owner of Rafaela’s beauty salon. (Emmanuelle Chriqui)
Many crude jokes abound about Zohan’s sexual prowress—he starts by servicing the mother of the cyclist he defended on the street, and then he shags the little old Jewish ladies who start popping up at Rafaela’s beauty salon for his 80s inspired cuts and the biss-boom-bah in the back office. Soon, there is a line down the block for Zohan’s unique (ahem) skills, until a Palestinian cab driver (Rob Schneider) recognizes him, then the jig is up. Zohan must face his past when a trio of Palestinians led by the irate cabbie try to bomb the salon with Neosporin. Uh, huh.
This hilarious, over-the-top comedy will surely offend some movie-goers of more delicate sensibilities but this reviewer, found it so silly and daring to take on such an unfunny subject as the on-going Middle Eastern conflict. I had to admit, it made me laugh out loud in more than one occasion although some of the more ethnic-poking jokes did go over my head. LOVED the parade of celebrity cameos, especially that of Mariah Carey and John McEnroe.
Don’t Mess with the Zohan is a silly, escapist fare for the summer.
Click on http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/youdontmesswiththezohan/site/index.html for more zaniness from the filmmakers.
1 Comment
July 7, 2008 at 3:58 pm
tony wants to see this, i can’t (severe allergic reaction to Sandler). glad u enjoyed, i’ll tell tony!