Adam Sandler has enjoyed success in movies for the past fifteen years in a wide range of hit comedy films, as well as several dramas. He first caught the public eye when he joined the cast of the National Broadcasting Company's comedy show Saturday Night Live and was one of the Bad Boys of SNL along with Chris Farley, Chris Rock, and others.
His first major role was in Billy Madison where he played a young man who had to go through school again, and proceeded to make other films that received a loyal following, no matter how harsh the critics were. Sandler's off the wall brand of comedy became his trademark.
He then changed face with his film The Wedding Singer where he presented his ability to be a good actor. After that, he starred in more comedies, and a few dramas such as Punch Drunk Love, Spanglish, and Reign Over Me. His most recent comedy I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry was slightly more politically minded than most of his films due to the subject matter of gay marriage. His new movie You Don't Mess With the Zohan is also political, although not so much as Chuck and Larry.
You Don't Mess With the Zohan centers on Zohan, an Israeli counter terrorist who is tired of the constant warring of his home land, and proceeds to fulfill his dream of becoming a hairdresser after faking his death.
Zohan moves to New York and becomes quite popular as a hairdresser, and also experiences the prejudices middle Easterns face in today's society. Things get even worse when a group of Arab taxi cab drivers discover his former life and decide to kidnap him to send him back to Israel. In an effort to keep his new life, Zohan seeks to fight his would be kidnappers.
Much of the humor in the film is expected to be derived from the satire of the civil war over Israel. It is also expected to point out the prejudices and racism towards Middle Easterns and how they are perceived in American society, especially in a post 9/11 society.
The film features not only Adam Sandler as Zohan, but Rob Schneider as one of the cab drivers, and John Turturro. The film also features, oddly enough, a professional foot bag competition, which has become a popular sport in recent times.
