Movie and Television Reviews

Zohan belongs to that much-maligned category of comedy where the focus of all of the humor is the self-oblivious strangeness of the character. Recent examples of this sub-genre include the Austin Powers, Deuce Bigalow, and Ace Ventura movies, each tellingly known by its protagonist's name. Extreme stereotyping, oddly superhuman powers (Zohan can catch bullets with his teeth and fish with his but; Ace could communicate with animals.), and inside jokes (Bigalow's sex act references left middle schoolers around the world asking, "What's a 'dirty Sanchez?'") are characteristic of this type and may be the reason they're often derided by sophisticated types. Me? I like them if the character is compelling (Delta Farce's Larry the Cable Guy is an example of a failed character-driven comedy.).

Zohan (Adam Sandler), the Israeli super counter-terrorist-sex machine-hair stylist is interesting enough to make the movie work. The inside jokes are so-so. His pubic hair fetishism (his own) is funny. His addiction to hummus and Israeli soft drinks (Fizzy-Bubbeleh) is OK. The movie dives into Middle-Eastern stereotypes like Zohan going after a seaborne terrorist: We have hacky sack; rude, overworking cab drivers; goats; multiple wives; irrational hatred; below-board electronics; and others. Most of the stereotypes are loving except for the ones about rednecks and corporate types.

Plots tend to be bonuses in these types of comedies, and Zohan's is as skimpy as Zohan's beachwear. It starts, like Kung Fu Panda, with a man wanting to follow his dream over his parents' objection and ends with Palestinians and Jews coming together to fight the real enemy- corporations and conservatives.

Nick Swarden is a very funny actor.

Message/Politics:

Barack Obama naiveness combined with Keith Olbermann hatred and contempt. Misunderstanding and a lack of communication causes Middle Eastern problems. There's a "cycle of violence" which means that both sides are equally responsible (Israel doesn't just react to Arab terrorism, it is partly the cause, suggesting that if Jews didn't retaliate, the circle would be broken and there'd be peace.). Counter to this message, the movie makes clear that the Palestinian population is less advanced and more hate-filled.

The "make love, not war" ethos is evident. Zohan overcomes his antagonism with the Palestinians to fall in love with his boss, Dalia (the very attractive Emmanuelle Chriqui). I guess Sandler thinks that ethnicity, not religion and custom is the only thing preventing a Holy Land love fest.

It's my experience that nobody hates as well as the tolerant. The merely misunderstood Palestinians can join with the Jews to hate rednecks who aren't only "bitter," but psychopathic deviants and everything else you'd overhear at an Obama rally in Berkeley. No forgiveness for the penitent Mel Gibson either who's the but of two low blows.

Zohan has sex with his customers (Couldn't the corporation have reported the prostitution at the hair salon and had them evicted?) and friends' mothers. I was expecting Zohan to make us suspect Zohan of ending women's salon experiences happily, but then reveal that he was just giving them massages or something, but that never happened- Zohan is the best (or worst) kind of hedonist.

Despite his promiscuity, when Zohan finds "the one" (Dalia), he suggests that he'll be faithful if only to avoid ED.

No emotional or physical consequences to Zohan's libertinism.

Apparently, New York has no license requirements for cosmetologists.

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