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In the past eight years, no man in Hollywood has been a bigger box office hit than Ben Stiller. Zoolander is one reason why. Following previous mega-hit comedies There's Something About Mary and Meet The Parents, Stiller once again joins with Owen Wilson (also of Meet The Parents & Meet The Fockers) to create a comedy that is second to none in this decade. In this film, Stiller plays the role of Derek Zoolander, a male model dominating the international fashion landscape with his trademark pose "Blue Steel".
Winner of the "Male Model Of The Year" for several consecutive years, Zoolander is the most widely successful male model in history. But age is taking its hold, and Hansel McDonald (Owen Wilson) is the newest smash hit model on the scene. When Hansel steals the male model crown from Zoolander, the fading model is forced to search for a new identity. When Time magazine reporter Matilda Jeffries (Christine Taylor) runs a cover story portraying Derek as a mindless idiot, he decides to retire from the modeling business and reconcile with his family…
Problems arise, however, when Zoolander's family rejects him. He fails to project the manly image to which they aspire. However, the saving grace for Derek is Jacobin Mugatu (Will Ferrell), a celebrated fashion designer who offers Derek the deal of a lifetime as the exclusive model for his brand new 'Derelicte' line. Unbeknownst to Zoolander, Mugatu and a cartel of fashion designers have secretly convened and decided to assassinate the Prime Minister of Malaysia. Promising to institute a minimum wage, the new Prime Minister threatens to destroy the endless supply of cheap labor on which the fashion cartel relies for excessive profits. Together, they agree to brainwash a stupid fashion model into carrying out their assassination for them. The cartel chooses Mugatu as the man to carry out the mission, and Mugatu chooses Zoolander as his idiot male model.
Unaware of the events surrounding him, Zoolander befriends the journalist who made him laughing stock, and he and Matilda become romantically involved. She begins to see him as more than just a pretty face. In another twist, Zoolander also befriends Hansel, the male model who knocked him off his throne. With Mugatu's new line soon to be unveiled, and the Prime Minister of Malaysia in attendance as his special guest, only Hansel and Matilda can help Derek to overcome his brainwashing before he kills the Prime Minister and sparks an international crisis…
Yet again, Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson exhibit their diversity in the big screen comedy genre. The characters are outlandish, and a bit more ridiculous than the subtle humor roles both men play in Meet The Parents and Meet The Fockers. But funny is funny, and Zoolander is a hilarious comedy. It's not the best of either man's career, but the film makes for a good night of entertainment…
About the author:
Britt Gillette is author of
The DVD Report
, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one.
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