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Sunday, September 22, 2013

MOVIE REVIEW Jewtopia
The Pain Of Self-Loathing, With No Mensch In Sight
  
Jennifer Love Hewitt as Alison and Ivan Sergei as Christian in Bryan Fogel's satirical comedy "Jewtopia".  Variance Films
       
by Omar P.L. Moore/PopcornReel.com        Follow popcornreel on Twitter FOLLOW                                           
Sunday, September 22, 2013
So far in 2013 there are few films as painfully unfunny and offensive as "Jewtopia", Bryan Fogel's satirical comedy about a Gentile named Christian (Ivan Sergei) whose love life has dried up.  Christian wants to date a Jewish woman in part because he's certain she won't say no.  After capturing the eye of Alison Marx (Jennifer Love Hewitt), Christian proceeds to engage in stereotypical Jewish behaviors on the advice of long-time Jewish friend Adam Lipschitz (Joel David Moore), who's nervous about having a baby with his anxious wife (Jamie-Lynn Sigler).  The film opened on Friday in Los Angeles and several other U.S. cities.

Mr. Fogel indulges a lot of offensive anti-Jewish rhetoric and cardboard humor, which might amuse some.  A cab driver recently told me that when he told an offensive anti-Jewish joke to a passenger identifying himself as Jewish he laughed lustily.  No laugh police here but "Jewtopia" relies on its behaviors being so offensive and outlandish that you can't help but chuckle.  "Don't leave your circumcision in the hands of an HMO," one character says.  That, I admit, is funny.  Everything else in "Jewtopia" isn't.

A solid cast over works things in a farce that piles on stereotype after stereotype, as well as bathroom humor and obsessions with penises and vaginas, especially during the end credits.  Apart from the obvious paycheck you wonder why else good actors like Peter Stormare, Wendie Malick and Rita Wilson would want to get mired in this mess.  There are too many superficial characters on display, none of whom make much of an impact.

There's a subplot about Adam's neuroses about being Jewish or having anything to do with the faith.  The entire film is devoted to the idea of hating Jewish culture, traditions and people.  Woody Allen gets accused of perpetrating Jewish self-loathing in his films yet moviegoers are either oblivious or hardened to the types.  The craft of Mr. Allen's filmmaking generally overwhelms the objections.  More than anything I was saddened, not outraged, by "Jewtopia".  Maybe I'm just clueless or don't have a sense of humor?

By implication one question the film presents is: what does it mean to be Jewish in America?  The answer surely isn't as cosmetic as it appears in "Jewtopia", based on the longest-running Off-Broadway play, co-created by Mr. Fogel.  Whatever spark may have brought audiences to watch the same-named play falls flat on the big screen.  The film is embarrassing.  It's difficult to admire the satirical aspects in "Jewtopia" when the offensive and obsessive self-loathing drowns out any point Mr. Fogel seeks to make.  I honestly asked myself: does anyone who is Jewish truly find this type of humor and Jewish self-mocking funny?  Does anyone?

"Jewtopia" is far from worthy a film to invite genuine answers to those questions. 
 
Also with: Jon Lovitz, Rolando Molina, Phil Rosenthal, Camryn Manheim, Nicollette Sheridan, Elaine Tan, Lin Shaye.

"Jewtopia" is not rated by the Motion Picture Association Of America but contains visuals of, and references to, male and female genitalia, including animation of a circumcision.  The film's running time is one hour and 29 minutes. 
 
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