This June, 'You Don't Mess with the Zohan,' is planned for release. The movie is about a top Israeli Mossad agent who fakes his death in order to become a hair stylist. He grows tired of the "fighting" (or killing, he should say), which his mother says in the preview, "has only been going on for 2,000 years."
From it's trailer, it looks part-Borat, part-Bruno, part-Munich, and part-Sandler.
Right... it looks like another made-for-dumb-Americans movie.
Maybe it won't be as dumb as it looks?
The 2,000 years quip is very annoying. Interestingly, the most significant thing in that region about 2,000 years ago was Jesus was 8 and Palestina was occupied by the Romans, and the Jews then resisted. I'm not sure I see the connection, other than now the Palestinians are fighting an Israeli occupation. 2,000 is just a big number that seems to imply ancient origins.
Anyways, the film is sure, at least, to piss off many Zionuts. They may take offense to the portrayal of the Mossad as anything other than a brave, righteous service. The movie will probably balance it out by making Palinuts like me pissed. The best we could hope for is to rile up some of the pro-Israeli-types.
On a positive note, unlike many Hollywood movies portraying Arabs, this one actually has several Arab actors, such as Mousa Kraish and Sayed Badreya as well as the comedienne Maysoon Zayid, who makes an appearance (thanks for tossing us the bone and forcing me to go see it now). The lead actress is Emmanuelle Chriqui, who is of Moroccan-Jewish descent (yes, that is Arab, too). I know you were not wondering, but Adam Sandler is not an Arab in any way shape or form.
I am a bit concerned about some of the minor characters. Just because I have an eye for details, I noticed the film cast several non-Arabs for the three "Angry Palestinian" roles. There are also three "Arab Boy" and two "Arab Girl" roles. Though most the major parts are for Israelis, the random ones include "Israeli Fan" and "Israeli Dancer." It seems the writers could not picture an angry Israeli. Palestinians have got that on lock.
The "Angry Palestinian" bits are played by a WASP, an Italian-American and an Indian-American.
KABOBfest is offering to review the scenes with the angry Palestinians.
We, as a blog made up of more than a few angry Palestinians, feel that we could really offer some useful feedback about what an authentically angry Palestinian is like -- frothy, irrational, and belligerent for no reason whatsoever because Palestinians have no reason to be angry. That whole dispossession of more than half of them in 1948 to make way for Israel... just a minor inconvenience. And the Israeli presence in Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem, just kind of a nice 40 year-long courtesy call. And they should be thanking Israel for bringing them some really friendly neighbors in those picturesque settlements that really beautify the landscape. Of course, they were so kind as to just clear out all those unsightly, useless olive trees... those giant weeds.
We'd do that for free even.
Though our offer is unlikely to be take up, we thought it might be important to reach out and build bridges to Hollywood... especially so later when we bash the film, we can do it in a particularly bitter, vindictive way.
I know it seems like an innocent, shameless comedy. Taking it too serious runs the risk of squeezing the humor out of it -- if there is any. I hope there is a sliver of decent representation, and some critique of Israel. I hope.
