Zoolander (2001)

Directed by Ben Stiller. Starring Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Christine Taylor, Will Ferrell, Jerry Stiller, Milla Jovovich, David Duchovny, Jon Voight, Nathan Lee Graham, Woodrow Asai. [PG-13]

Slick but goofy comedy about vapid, witless male model, Derek Zoolander (Stiller), whose career is in decline when he’s brainwashed by a nefarious fashion designer (Ferrell) to assassinate the prime minister of Malaysia. An all-premise-no-story laffer that succeeds at what it tries to do—be “really, really, really, ridiculously good-looking” (er, be pretty gosh darn funny, that is). Exploits that fine line between clever and stupid quite well; the movie suffers from inconsistency—several gags die a silent death, and there aren’t as many comedic fireballs in the supporting cast as one would expect—but it contains more than enough belly-laughs to make its (easy) on-target ribbing succeed. Freak gasoline fight accidents, literacy education for ants, an orgy with Finnish dwarves and Maori tribesmen, breakdance fighting, and the long-awaited Magnum pose…but, sure, give A Beautiful Mind the Oscar, whatever. Contains a galaxy of celebrity cameos—the best is, of course, “walk-off” judge David Bowie, but even in a movie featuring Fred Durst, Paris Hilton, and Andy Dick, the worst is easily a certain reality-TV-star-turned-politician. Later inspired a sequel and an animated series.

73/100