Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 1 hr 53 mins
Cast:
- Adam Sandler
- John Turturro
- Emmanuelle Chriqui
- Nick Swardson
- Lainie Kazan
|
 |
Review - "You Don't Mess With the Zohan"
Reviewer: Cori Vella
Rating:
You Don't Mess With the Zohan is outrageous, silly, and full of gross-outs that make the audience unsure of whether to laugh or to walk out of the theatre. It is a bit different in tone from Adam Sandler's earlier "classic" successes (Happy Gilmore, Billy Madison, The Wedding Singer, Mr. Deeds), and tends to follow the more disgusting, frat-boy humor trend set in motion by Judd Apatow (which is fitting, as Apatow co-wrote this movie).
In the first portion of the movie, we are introduced to Zohan, an Israeli counter-terrorist. Zohan (Adam Sandler) is on vacation — playing hackey sack on the beach, catching fish in his crack (yes, it is just as silly as it sounds), and cooking in the nude. Unfortunately, the Israeli Army sends a helicopter to bring him back to work before he's ready to go.
Zohan's mission is to recapture a Palestinian terrorist known as "The Phantom" (John Turturro). Zohan is a bit frustrated, as he has already captured The Phantom before, and the Israeli government is at fault for The Phantom's currently free state, having exchanged him for other terrorists.
Zohan is not happy with his job, nor this recent development. He dreams of becoming a hair-dresser, and secretly worships a 1980s Paul Mitchell style book when nobody is watching. So in pursuit of The Phantom, Zohan fakes his death and flies to New York City to make his dream a reality.
Things don't go quite as planned. Under the pseudonym "Scrappy Coco" (chosen after the names of two dogs he shared a crate with on the flight to America), and with a new 1980s hairstyle to boot, Zohan attempts to get a jobs at various salons (including the Paul Mitchell salon) with no success. While on the job search, Zohan meets and befriends Michael (Nick Swardson), who takes him home to his mother for a meal and a place to stay — this decision is regretted later, as Zohan engages in sexual behavior with Michael's mother (Lainie Kazan). Bring on the Maalox.
While at a disco, Zohan encounters a fellow Israeli named Uri, who recognizes him almost instantly. Uri agrees to keep Scrappy Coco's true identity a secret, and offers him a job at his electronics store. The electronics store, Going Out of Business, is located in a section of Manhattan populated by middle-eastern Americans. Half the street is Palestinians, half is Israeli. Unbenowst to the current shopowners, a wealthy CEO by the name of Walbridge is trying to rid the neighborhood of both factions in order to establish a shopping mall. The audience gets a taste of this as Walbridge raises the rent to astronomical prices.
On Uri's suggestion, Zohan overcomes his prejudice and applies at a dumpy hair salon on the Palestinian side of the street. He is reluctantly hired by Dhalia (Emmanuelle Chriqui) to sweep the floors for free. Zohan finally is allowed to cut hair after one of Dhalia's regular stylists quits with no warning. He gives his customers high-charged sexual hair-cutting experiences, something which brings in a massive amount of new business. Zohan also realizes he's fallen in love with Dhalia, but after she learns of his true identity, she states that she cannot be with him. Walbridge, furious that tenants are still paying the outrageous rent, ups his game, bringing in a group of rednecks to pose as middle-easterners and stage a destruction of the properties whilst both the Palestinians and Israelis attend a complimentary hackey sack competition. In the midst of this all, a Palestinian cab driver (Rob Schneider) recognizes Zohan, and seeks his revenge, ultimately calling on The Phantom to come and finish the job.
The Palestinians and Israelis band together to fight off the rednecks and Walbridge, culminating in a happy, predictable ending.
It's not Oscar-worthy material. It's probably not even MTV Movie Awards material. But it's silly, it's entertaining, and it's Adam Sandler. That alone makes it worth a chance. It doesn't have a fight with Bob Barker, but it also isn't the mess that we've seen lately in Sandler movies. Like it, in general.
|
Advertising 
