Customer Review(s)
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Stiller shows himself convincingly versatile in portraying an male model who is anything but
Comment: The 2001 film ZOOLANDER is a comedy about two male models, the eminent Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller) and the up-and-coming Hansel (
Owen Wilson), who with the help of an investigative reporter (Christine Taylor) must thwart the plans of a megalomaniac fashion designer (Will Ferrell) to maintain third-world child sweatshop labour. Most of the humour in the film comes from Stiller's portrayal of Zoolander, a dimwitted manchild with a heart of gold, and the fact that the actor playing this male model isn't remotely glamourous. Myself, I really dig Hansel's character, the reincarnation of an Istanbul to Kathmandu trail hippie who resides in a festive warehouse flat with, among others, a Sherpa and a quartet of Finnish dwarves. The character is in some ways quite similar to that which Wilson played in THE ROYAL TENNENBAUMS, which appeared the same year. The supporting cast includes David Duchovny as a conspiracy theorist and Jerry Stiller as Zoolander's conflicted manager.
What is really remarkable about the film, however, is the huge amount of cameos, with over 30 celebrities making brief appearances. Certainly the film will be thought-provoking for criticizing the rampant use of child sweatshop labor in the garment industry, while the Hollywood idols within it continue to support designer fashion.
ZOOLANDER has entrenched itself into American culture, with quotations from the film popping up fairly often in the speech of my generation. While it is by no means a great work of art, it is sure to offer some laughs.
Customer Rating: Summary: Absurd and Hilarious
Comment: With preening self-importance and pouty narcissism already baked into the industry's DNA - torturing couture fashion almost certainly lacks good sportsmanship. Fashion has always been a satirists Piñata party so I was pleased that Zoolander went well beyond the clichéd "dumb model" premise to focus on the countless small affectations that make fashionistas well, fashionistas.
From the first scene where the shadowed, dimly recognizable outlines of fashion icons Karl Lagerfeld, Anna Wintour and Donna Karan conspire to assassinate the Malaysian prime minister (whose new government threatens to outlaw clothing sweatshops) it is clear that the producers will gore every detail in the search for gut-busting comedy. Yes, Ben Stiller (Zoolander) and
Owen Wilson (Hansel) are terrific as the vacuous supermodel savants who become unwittingly enlisted in the assassination plot - but, it is Will Ferrell and Ben's father, Jerry Stiller who steal the show. As an actor, Ferrell's trademark has been a glowering self-absorption that makes even his bad films worth the effort. As fashion-scion, "Mugatu" ("a defrocked member of `80s club band, Frankie Goes To Hollywood and inventor of the piano tie.") he is clearly at the top of his game and caused more than one of my friends to spit their drinks when he came on screen. His performance is classic and alone justifies the cost of the DVD. Finally, there's Jerry Stiller - wrapped in a designer jogging suit and 50 years of borscht belt shtick - Jerry's turn as "Balls" Model Agency Owner, Maury Ballstein is so Catskills lowbrow that not laughing is just not possible.
Just a fun movie - highly recommended.
