ZOOKEEPER

title: ZOOKEEPER
year: 2011
cast: Kevin James, Rosario Dawson, Leslie Bibb, Nick Nolte, Adam Sandler
rating: *

Kevin James works at a zoo, where after hours the animals gather around talking to each other. But that aspect is only half the ride. Most of the time it's our put-upon hero having love troubles with his ex-girlfriend Leslie Bibb, who'd rather see him selling imported cars, which he takes a stab at to the animal’s chagrin. At this point the creatures have already “broken the code” and are giving him verbal advice on love. Funny thing, since Bibb resembles a model, none of the animals tell their chubby pal to lose weight for a better chance at keeping her. But animals are nicer than humans, especially an abused, sulky Gorilla voiced by Nick Nolte, who joins James in a night out a TGIF and becomes his best friend. The segments with the animals are silly, and not very funny, but hey, that’s all right. Sylvester Stallone as the king lion and especially Adam Sandler as a spastic monkey get a few laughs. And Nolte seems human enough to feel for, although his input gets a bit melodramatic. But the bland love story, or stories... as eagle expert Rosario Dawson, in helping James make Bibb jealous, falls for him as well... is what stinks up the joint. Two gorgeous girls longing for an clumsy overweight everyman is more outlandish than animals talking. Yet throughout this entire mess, the main problem is the star himself: having to rely on overboard pratfalls to make up for the fact that… at least in this outing… he just isn’t funny.