Jewtopia: Movie Review

Writer/Director Bryan Fogel’s new film “Jewtopia” is based on his 2003 stage play of the same name.  The play ran for a whole year to sell out audiences so it comes as a bit of a surprise that the film version is void of anything clever or funny. I come from a Jewish family myself, so I get that there is humor in Jewish stereotypes, but the jokes just fall flat and the performances are just plain embarrassing.

This Jewish rom-com centers on childhood friends Christian O’Connell (Ivan Sergei) and Adam Lipschitz (Joel David Moore). Christian has had a hard time moving on since his Jewish college girlfriend broke his heart. Even though he is not Jewish himself, he wants to meet a Jewish girl so that he will never have to make a decision again for the rest of his life (because Jewish woman make all the decisions for them, get it?). Joel is Jewish and engaged to Jewish American Princess Hannah (Jamie-Lynn Sigler). He on the other hand is not happy and on the verge of a nervous breakdown. 

Christian decides to drop in on a Jewish Singles party, where he meets Alison (Jennifer Love Hewitt). Because Christian doesn’t want to blow his first date with Alison, he seeks the help of his friend Adam to help make him seem Jewish. This is of course where all the major stereotypes come in to play.  Personally I didn’t find the stereotypes offensive. I was actually offended by what the Fogel was passing off as actual humor.  It doesn’t help when you cast Jon Lovitz and Tom Arnold in your film either.  Arnold has only been funny once in his career and that was in “True Lies”.  Same goes for “Lovitz” who was only mildly amusing doing bit parts in “Big” and “A League of Their Own”. 

Jewish comedies aren’t something we get a whole lot of, and I know there is an audience for it, but “Jewtopia” isn’t one you should waste your time with.

By: Marc Ferman