There are intermittent genuine laughs here and there — including one involving the Fonz himself, Henry Winkler, that I would rate as the funniest of the entire movie — which save the film from total disaster. But even so, when a film has this many attempted jokes the laugh rate is nauseatingly low. Even a supporting cast of usually funny actors including John Turturro and Kevin Nealon don’t get as many laughs as you would expect them to. This is down to the script, written by Sandler, Robert Smigel, and the cool kid of comedy at the minute, Judd Apatow, which again falls back on this backbone mentality of being over-the-top.
I will give Zohan one other thing; it’s nice to see Sandler playing an actual character this time around instead of the same man-child he plays in everything from Happy Gilmore and Big Daddy to Mr Deeds and Click (all of which I used to adore but now have seen the error of my ways). Recalling his creative characters in such films as The Waterboy and Little Nicky (about the only two of his films I still find anything worthwhile in), Zohan at least has a bit of originality on its side.
Long-time Adam Sandler collaborator Dennis Dugan is behind the camera for this one and to their merit they seem comfortable working with one another. However they may have let their familiarity get ahold of them too much as they seem to have lost sight of how to make their intended jokes pay off. I have no problem with a comedy being crass and ridiculous as long as the comedic payoffs are present and You Don’t Mess with the Zohan, although not completely devoid of them, is sorely lacking in that department.
Article comments
1 - Buck
I have to disagree with your opening thought - that moviegoers divise their own plan and usually don't end up sticking to it. Basically I find that is the case with maybe half of the ones who try harder and less than half of the ones who don't. But in either case, I don't think Zohan was as unfunny as you and many critics have said. In fact I plan to purchase the DVD and I don't already own any Sandler movies on DVD with the exception of "The Longest Yard" (which I have in fact never even watched - I got the DVD for free). "Spanglish" was a bad movie featuring an excellent performance from Sandler. "Punch-Drunk Love" was a bad movie featuring a more or less OK performance from Sandler (know one could have saved that pathetic mess). My funniest Sandler is "Waterboy" while my least is "Anger Management."
2 - Ross Miller
I actually forgot about Punch-Drunk Love (as it's so different to his other movies) but have to TOTALLY disagree with you. Along with his excellent dramatic performance in Reign Over Me, PDL is Sandler's best film. P.T. Anderson is a movie making genius.
3 - Buck
Oh I haven't seen Reign Over me yet. I don't care for PT Anderson as a filmmaker, generally speaking, although Hard 8 was ok.
4 - Derek Fleek
I got mixed feelings here. Zohan is a funny character, but many of the jokes don't go anywhere. Good review.