THE HEBREW HAMMER

[FeverDog420]

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The plot: Jumpstarting the much-neglected subgenre of "Jewxploitation" (along the lines of 1970's blaxploitation movies like Shaft, Coffy, and Dolemite), this is the story of Mordechai, a young vigilant Orthodox Jew "superhero detective" who is recruited by the Jewish Justice League to team up with Esther, the daughter of the JJL's leader, to stop the evil plans of Damien, the son of Santa, to eradicate Hanukkah from calendars forever, so that Christmas will never again have any competition (with an African-American hero, Mohammed, played by Mario Van Peebles, helping out in case Santa goes after Kwanzaa next).

Starring: Adam Goldberg, Judy Greer, Andy Dick, Mario Van Peebles, Peter Coyote, Nora Dunn, Sean Whalen, Tony Cox, Jamal, Richard Riehle, Melvin Van Peebles

Directed by: Jonathan Kesselman (debut)

http://www.splicedonline.com/03reviews/hebrewhammer.jpg

Shalom, y'alls! The Hebrew Hammer opens today in New York and Los Angeles. This has GOT to be better than 8 Crazy Nights. If you're not meshugga enough to travel to either city, be sure to check out the website (http://www.thehebrewhammer.com/) and play a round of Gentile Invaders (where you shoot matzo balls from a menorah at Aryan aliens wielding swastikas).

And take the Jewish Confirmation Test. My level of Jewishness: Member of the Tribe. Reading what that entails, not really.

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Is Tony Cox the Pimp Daddy of 2003 Holiday Movies or what?

[sharkstank]

i saw it last week on comedy central and though it was ok. adam goldberg was great, but the two laugh out loud moments came from andy dick. enjoyable enough movie, with some laughs throughout, but not really that good of a story. It seemed shoddy and dull in some parts.

**1/2 out of ****

[Scarface98.9]

I wanted to see it on Comedy Central, but never remembered to do so. I want to see it eventually, if only for the shots of the Star of David being used as a hood ornament

[Raul Duke]

this is gettin released in theatres? it was on Comedy Central

[Nachokoolaid]

Shabbat Shallom MUTHA FUCKA!!!

That part gets me every time. It was "okay" at best. But the aforementioned part is funny for some reason.

[TheLoveBelow]

I know some kid who was in it! He is a great actor!

[Thrizzle]

Yea a kid who went to my high school is apparently in it.......Darryl Wien or somethin like that.

[Sublime]

I caught it on Comedy Central. It was actually enjoyable. Andy Dick was funny and the funkadelic soundtrack was well played.

* * *

[A.J. Hakari]

I wanted to catch this on Comedy Central, but it looked like a film meant to be seen uncut. Perhaps it'll come on DVD soon, since after THE INDEPENDENT was on CC, it was finally released on DVD.

[mikeyD]

i saw some commercials for it but it didn't look funny to me.

[gspawn]

For those who don't know...
Comedy Central plans on running several TV-first movies. They'll build up ad revenue as such so when the movie releases, they have bomb insurance.

Hammer is the first of these films.

I quit watching partway into the movie. The parts that are funny are pretty good, but this comedy misses more than it hits.

Bits include: *mild non-essential spoilers*
-A midget curses a lot. Not usually funny cursing, just loading profanity into normal scentences. Like... "Sh** yeah, that's muthaf***ing right, I f***ing walked down the f***ing street and saw this f***ing guy f***ing walking, and all of a f***ing sudden he f***ing starts muthaf***ing talking to me...". I have no idea if any line like that was in the movie, but it gives you an idea.
-Hammer passes through a Jew security system that includes playing a violin to test "musical aptitude" (Jews are known for musical aptitude???). They actually resort to moving the camera BEHIND the actor because he's apparently that bad at faking playing the violin. Canned music ensues.
-Several scenes include a "Jewish" level of griping. I suppose you're supposed to find them funny because Jews are supposed to gripe a lot. However, it comes across as just people incessantly screaming at each other, or characters mildly pacing and rambling.

It's a low-level second-rate comedy. Good for a cheap laugh, best seen when you're VERY drunk/high.
Hebrew Hammer- 4/10. And that's being VERY generous just because I like Goldberg.

[gspawn]

I should also mention I REALLY hate Andy Dick... I don't think I've enjoyed a single piece of work he's ever done.
So that's a factor.

[Christoph]

Originally posted by gspawn
I should also mention I REALLY hate Andy Dick... I don't think I've enjoyed a single piece of work he's ever done.
So that's a factor.

Firstly: I think the movie looks hilarious. But I don't understand why people hate Andy Dick so much? H eis freakin funny. Have you seen him on the Ben Stiller show? He was brilliant!

[TheDisease]

Originally posted by Christoph
Firstly: I think the movie looks hilarious. But I don't understand why people hate Andy Dick so much? H eis freakin funny. Have you seen him on the Ben Stiller show? He was brilliant!

I concur. The Andy Dick Show was pretty funny too. The guy is a major head case but brings the laughs mostly.

Even the SNL parodies about him are funny.

[Mr. Orange]

He was perfectly cast in Scotland PA