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:

Comedian | India | Islam | Satire | New Dehli

Cast

Albert Brooks	...	Albert Brooks
Sheetal Sheth	...	Maya
Fred Dalton Thompson	...	Sen. Fred Dalton Thompson
Penny Marshall	...	Penny Marshall
Victoria Burrows	...	Casting Director
Paul Jerome	...	Studio Executive (as Paul Eric Jerome)
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

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 | SDDS | DTS

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:

References The Preacher's Wife (1996)

Soundtrack:

Put on a Happy Face

Painfully Un-funny

Look, I like Albert Brooks. I find him wittingly funny. However this film was an absolute bore. The 'Idea' of the film was far more humorous than the film itself. This film is one of the very best examples that 'the' funniest parts of the film were in the trailer. And the trailer's funny parts were, well, just somewhat humorous.

The most unbearable part for me (along with most of the film) was the scene where he did his stand up routine for an audience at a school auditorium. 'Me', and American, who actually really likes Brooks, found the routine, the 'elongated' routine absolutely not funny. If it wouldn't even appeal to us in a satirical way, how, why..... it simply was not funny! It's been a looooong time since I've ever not watched an entire film because it was so bad. Though I made it through this one to the end, I cant remember the last time I wanted so bad to cut my losses and shut it down. I should have.

But don't just go by me. There are people here that found some sense of humor in it, so might you. Yet for me, I'd rather have gone to the dentist.