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Director: Frank Coraci; Screenwriter: Nick Bakay, Rock Reuben; Starring: Kevin James, Rosario Dawson, Adam Sandler, Sylvester Stallone, Judd Apatow; Running time: 104 mins; Certificate: PG
Proving that there's life left in the old 'talking animal' family comedy sub-genre, Zookeeper casts Paul Blart: Mall Cop star Kevin James as an animal caretaker who seeks to win back his ex Stephanie (Leslie Bibb) with the help of the zoo's residents. James's well-meaning Griffin puts his heart on the line to propose to the girl of his dreams in an elaborate set-up involving horses, a mariachi band and fireworks. It's thrown back in his face, however, and he returns to work at the zoo with his tail between his legs.
Years later he's reunited with Stephanie at brother Dave's (Nat Faxon) engagement party to Robin (Steffiana De La Cruz) and vows to win her back. Griffin's desire to remain as a lowly zookeeper, which Stephanie perceives as a lack of ambition, prompts him to get his life in gear. It's the intervention of the talking zoo animals - among them Joe the Lion (Sylvester Stallone), Janet the lioness (Cher), Donald the monkey (Adam Sandler) and Bernie the solemn gorilla (Nick Nolte) - that brings the law of the jungle to the human dating world, as Griffin attempts to woo Stephanie with some questionable animal tricks. Marking his territory in a restaurant and growling like a bear to scare off alpha dog rival Gale (Joe Rogan), Griffin eventually finds himself torn between Stephanie and his work colleague Kate (Rosario Dawson).
Zookeeper's comedy derives from hurling its leading man into a series of improbable stunts and set pieces. It's a gag that wore thin quickly in Paul Blart, and the same applies here as James barrels headfirst into the slapstick sequences. It's a listless comedy that strains desperately for laughs while unsuccessfully trying to invest the character moments with pathos. Bibb's Stephanie is so shallow and vapid that most of the time you just want to throttle Griffin for his endless pursuit of her.
There are some nice moments, notably a wedding dance between Griffin and Kate that segues from a Barry White mime-a-long to an aerial ballet and a drunken night on the town with Nolte's gruff gorilla, but otherwise everything is so unashamedly sign-posted and predictable that both the comedy and drama pack little impact. This is the kind of movie that may or may not feature a last-gasp dash to the airport (groan...). James proves again that he's an affable and agile (despite his frame) comic performer but his continued association with duff Adam Sandler/Happy Madison comedies makes you wish he'd break out and go it alone.
Years later he's reunited with Stephanie at brother Dave's (Nat Faxon) engagement party to Robin (Steffiana De La Cruz) and vows to win her back. Griffin's desire to remain as a lowly zookeeper, which Stephanie perceives as a lack of ambition, prompts him to get his life in gear. It's the intervention of the talking zoo animals - among them Joe the Lion (Sylvester Stallone), Janet the lioness (Cher), Donald the monkey (Adam Sandler) and Bernie the solemn gorilla (Nick Nolte) - that brings the law of the jungle to the human dating world, as Griffin attempts to woo Stephanie with some questionable animal tricks. Marking his territory in a restaurant and growling like a bear to scare off alpha dog rival Gale (Joe Rogan), Griffin eventually finds himself torn between Stephanie and his work colleague Kate (Rosario Dawson).
Zookeeper's comedy derives from hurling its leading man into a series of improbable stunts and set pieces. It's a gag that wore thin quickly in Paul Blart, and the same applies here as James barrels headfirst into the slapstick sequences. It's a listless comedy that strains desperately for laughs while unsuccessfully trying to invest the character moments with pathos. Bibb's Stephanie is so shallow and vapid that most of the time you just want to throttle Griffin for his endless pursuit of her.
There are some nice moments, notably a wedding dance between Griffin and Kate that segues from a Barry White mime-a-long to an aerial ballet and a drunken night on the town with Nolte's gruff gorilla, but otherwise everything is so unashamedly sign-posted and predictable that both the comedy and drama pack little impact. This is the kind of movie that may or may not feature a last-gasp dash to the airport (groan...). James proves again that he's an affable and agile (despite his frame) comic performer but his continued association with duff Adam Sandler/Happy Madison comedies makes you wish he'd break out and go it alone.
Previous: 'A Better Life' review
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