Zoolander (2001)

Zoolander (2001)

5/10

Starring

Ben Stiller

Owen Wilson

Will Ferrell

Christine Taylor

Milla Jovovich

Jerry Stiller

Directed by Ben Stiller

I guess the movie wanted to ride much on the lead’s (Zoolander) silliness. I have to be honest the silliness is very funny and his lines are so unpredictable. The lines catch you on aware and I found myself laughing. But that silliness and lines were not good enough to carry this movie.

Before seeing this movie I struggled to recall how it made me feel when I saw it back in 2001. The only thing I could recall was that the movie had silliness to the next level. Meaning, other than Zoolander (Ben Stiller) and his lines everything else about this movie is highly forgettable.

I did get a few laughs in the beginning, but by the time the movie got halfway I was already exhausted of the silliness and the plot just being not something strong enough to recommend this movie to anyone.

Here is the plot, we are introduced to Derek Zoolander who is a top male model and has won the award for best male model three times in a roll. He has been on top of things and no other male model has been able to compete until now. There is a new guy in town Hansel (Owen Wilson) he has been climbing high and is now a competition to Zoolander.

Zoolander’s pride of his status led to a stunt at the awards which made him a target to the leaders of the fashion world. They were looking for a very dumb and stupid person they could brainwash to committing murder of the prime minister of Malaysia.

Zoolander’s life was also not going well an article done on him by a journalist Matilda (Christine Taylor) further damaged his image. Now looking at retirement in the eye, he gets a call from his agent (Jerry Stiller) to come work for one of the top fashion leaders an opportunity for him to make a comeback.

Matilda suspects that Zoolander is getting himself into a lot of trouble and tries to help him, while his silliness makes him continue to push him off.

How things turn out between Zoolander, Matilda, Hansel and the fashion leaders is what this movie is about.

Back in 2001 all the A-list guys had a cameo in this movie, even Donald Trump and Melania had cameo roles in it. The late David Bowie had a prominent cameo role in the movie as a judge in the walk off. The movie also had a little family affair going on, Christine Taylor at that time was Stiller’s wife and Jerry Stiller his father was also in it.

The movie had a second part done in 2016 (Zoolander 2) which to me is just on the same level as this one.

This movie was an average success in the box office although it did well critically. Seeing this movie again did not do anything for me.