Rated PG for some rude and suggestive humor, and language.
Starring Kevin James, Rosario Dawson, Adam Sandler (voice), Sylvester Stallone (voice), Cher (voice), and Jon Favreau (voice)
Directed by Frank Coraci (Click, The Waterboy, and The Wedding Singer)
Zookeeper is a KEEPER!
In Zookeeper, the animals at the Franklin Park Zoo love their kindhearted caretaker, Griffin Keyes (Kevin James). Finding himself more comfortable with a lion than a lady, Griffin decides the only way to get a girl in his life is to leave the zoo and find a more glamorous job. The animals, in a panic, decide to break their time-honored code of silence and reveal their biggest secret: they can talk! To keep Griffin from leaving, they decide to teach him the rules of courtship – animal style.
There are two reasons I loved Zookeeper. 1. My whole family laughed A LOT, and 2. Kevin James.
OK, here’s the deal. If you are in a Shawshank Redemption kind of mood…do not watch Zookeeper. Wait until you are in a Dumb and Dumber kind of mood, and then you’ll love it. This movie really is funny but in that “so dumb” kind of way. And it was clean enough for my whole family to enjoy it.
The other reason I loved this movie was all about Kevin James. Like most films, if you don’t like the leading man, you probably don’t love the movie…and the opposite is also true. Well I can’t help it…I love Kevin James and I thought he was laugh out loud funny. Whether he’s pulling a porcupine quill out of his cheek or gliding through as a ribbon acrobat – – my side still hurts.
If you want a serious drama that will tug on your heart stings or an action movie that will leave your ears ringing…skip this one. But if you are in the mood for a family comedy what will have everyone laughing…I say grab a copy of Zookeeper…it’s Theater Worthy.
SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
The slapstick “violence” is the only real concern here – think Home Alone. I think this is a movie that is fine for the whole family.
Conversation Starter
Three Simple Questions (with Answers You May Be Looking for):
Q: What’s the message/theme of this movie?
A: Zookeeper is all about Griffin discovering who he is and who he can be. Throughout the film he tries to be more sophisticated to impress his former girlfriend. He tries a new job and new clothes but it’s when he discovers who he really is that he finds happiness.
Q: How do you suppose we—as serious Christ-followers—should react to this movie?
A: We need to look at our own lives and ask questions like:
- Do we do things to try and impress other people?
- What’s the dumbest thing you have ever done to impress someone? (Be ready to share your personal story.)
- Who is influencing what you do? What you think about yourself? What others say about you?
Far too often we allow other people to define who we are. We take what they say and what they think to heart. And sometimes we change to please them.
However, we need to know that our identity is in God! He created each one of us, loves us, sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us, and transforms our lives through His Holy Spirit! When we allow Him to define our identity we stand on a sure foundation for a life of peace, contentment, and yes, even some adventure (John 10:10)!
Read the following verses…
John 1:12 – Yet to all who received him (Christ), to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
2 Corinthians 5:17 – This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
Philippians 4:13 – I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Q: How can we move from healthy, Bible-based opinions about this movie to actually living out those opinions?A: When we establish our identity in how God sees us we can confidently live our lives in the assurance of His perfect plan for our lives.
So what can we do this week to live in His prefect plan?
