You Don't Mess with the Zohan

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As premises for Adam Sandler movies go, this one has the advantage of being offbeat: A super-heroic Israeli commando gives up battling terrorists so he can pursue his dream of being a New York hairdresser. But any hope for cleverness is out the window after that, as Sandler smugly disco-dances from scene to scene, pronouncing every "h" as if he's producing phlegm, and referencing Zohan's enormous codpiece and sexual prowess with senior citizens. (Anyone ready for a Lainie Kazan nude scene? Anyone?) The script - written by Sandler, Robert Smigel (a k a Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog) and Judd Apatow - has a couple of actually funny gags, but hack director Dennis Dugan ("I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry") messes up the delivery in service to Sandler's titanic ego. When Sandler's Zohan goes from fighting his archnemesis (played by John Turturro) to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on the streets of New York City, the only response is to throw up your hands and shout, "Oy vey!"

(sltrib.com)