Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World (2005)

Director:

Albert Brooks

Writer (WGA):

Albert Brooks (written by)

Release Date:

9 November 2006 (Hungary)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

To improve its relations with Muslim countries, the United States government sends comedian Albert Brooks to south Asia to write a report on what makes followers of Islam laugh.

Plot Keywords:

Satire | Islam | India | Stand Up Comedy | Stand Up Comedian

Cast

Albert Brooks	...	Albert Brooks
Fred Dalton Thompson	...	Sen. Fred Dalton Thompson
Penny Marshall	...	Penny Marshall
Victoria Burrows	...	Casting Director
Paul Eric Jerome	...	Studio Executive
B.J. Ward	...	Barbara Nader
Lynda Berg	...	Margaret Allenton
Steve Kramer	...	Sam Loman
Vipin Kumar	...	Customs Agent
Avinash Kaur	...	Job Applicant
Rima Laham	...	Job Applicant
Sanjeev Johrai	...	Hotel Guest
Imran Mashkoor Kahn	...	Concierge
Kavita Ashok	...	Waitress
Sandhya Bhatia	...	Street Interview

Also Known As:

Untitled Albert Brooks Project (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for drug content and brief strong language.

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS | SDDS

Certification:

Malaysia:(Banned) | USA:PG-13 (certificate #41936) | Singapore:NC-16

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Seventh Picture Productions LLC

Trivia:

Sony Pictures Classics was originally going to distribute the film in the USA but chose not to, citing controversy over the film's title, which they wanted to change. Warner Independent Pictures then picked up the film for US distribution.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The Indian flag shown in the Indian government office is upside down. The correct order of the flag is saffron at the top and green at the bottom.

Quotes:

Albert Brooks: Hey, if you guys ever make a dirty bomb, put some of that hash in it.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: (2006-01-21)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

There's No Business Like Show Business

Missed the Mark

A previous reviewer implied that this film was a "thinking man's comedy," but I fail to see where the thought provocation is in this one. I've always considered Al Brooks to be a hit or miss comedian. His Woody Allen-esquire neurosis and laid back delivery work great in some movies but fail miserably in others. Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World unfortunately fails to hit the target and is ranked among Brooks' great misses.

The plot is original (which, in itself deserves merit these days), basically showing Brooks playing himself and recruited by the US government to travel to India to write a report on what Muslims find funny. Assigned to a small office next to an Indian telemarketing/help desk boiler room, he ventures out repeatedly to interview pedestrians and promote a comedy show which he and an assistant hope will generate material for his report.

The film is segmented into a few phases which all sort of fall short of funny. The set-up led me to believe that a very funny movie were in store, but as the story continued and the characters arrived in India, the movie began to drag. A few chuckles could be had by the observant viewer but I wouldn't expect any gut-busters. The humor kind of borders observational and situational, but mostly I found the jokes to be tired and forced, e.g. Brooks struggling through the language barrier while interviewing ethnic Indians and Muslims to be his assistant.

As the story progresses to his presence in India and surreptitious venture into Pakistan being confused as espionage, the laughs come to a halt and one feels that an over-arching cultural message may be presented. It never does, and the climax comes so abruptly with an ending text scroll that I was less concerned with resolution to the story and more concerned with wondering if they ran out of money and had to end production.

This one was a real stinker. As I wrote, laughs can be had if you pay attention, but I predict it will be quickly forgotten as another Brooks misstep.