Zoolander (2001)
With its wall-to-wall, absurdly stupid characters, you wouldn't expect any legitimate wit or intelligence from Zoolander but that would be a mistake. It's an enjoyable, endlessly quotable, and memorable satire of the fashion industry.
Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller) is a self-absorbed, world-famous, good-natured but not dim-witted male fashion model. After he hits rock bottom, he becomes embroiled in a plot to assassinate the Prime Minister of Malaysia.
Writers Drake Sather and Ben Stiller (who also directs) get far more material out of the concept of "dumb fashion models" than you'd think was possible. Derek Zoolander misunderstands crucial information and uses words he doesn’t understand. His rival Hansel (Owen Wilson) is the kind of would-be spiritualist that thinks he’s deep because he’s base jumped half a dozen times and has slept with women from all around the world. The man behind the conspiracy, Jacobim Mugatu (Will Ferrell) has a plan so dumb it might just work. Zoolander pulls you into this world where intelligence is undesirable because the fashion industry is all about being shallow. The joke could get old quickly, but we’re given several straight men and women to make this absurdity hilarious. Journalist Matilda Jeffries (Christine Taylor) is us. She’s the one that asks “why would never wear that? There’s only about 5$ worth of material in that shirt so how can it cost $1,000?”. In this world, that's the kind of question no one can answer because it's scratching the surface of what you should be questioning. She knows what's at stake but unfortunately, her intelligence means it'll all fall upon deaf ears.
Zoolander is filled with big laughs, the kind you can't wait to share with your friends so you can quote the scenes to each other after. There’s an incident at a gas station so silly it's impossible to forget. Relax by Frankie Goes to Hollywood will never sound the same, "What is this? A *blank* for ants?!" will become part of your vernacular. Traditional romantic comedy conventions are amusingly turned on their heads, to the audience’s delight. I'm going to single out the old “frumpy attractive woman who just needs to put her hair down” cliché as a favorite. Will Ferrell is used in just the right amount, as are several other comedians and celebrities who could've easily been annoying.
I’ll fault Zoolander for two things. The first is a lame erection joke that's as absurd as the Magnum look and the "janitor makeup” scene but is more than a bit embarrassing to watch. The second flat is some clumsy exposition delivered by two characters who disappear once their info dump is done. When you look at those isolated moments, you wonder if the script was rushed because they’re sloppy in an otherwise consistent film.
If it's been a while since you've watched Zoolander, give it another watch. It holds up well and even if you think you've seen/memorized all of its best gags, there are some I know you've missed. Pay attention to what's happening in the background and you'll find some new favorites, maybe even one you can get your friends to add their Rolodex. (On DVD, February 15, 2016)
