The Hebrew Hammer

A cross between a Kosher Shaft and Airplane!'s shameless gag machine, The Hebrew Hammer is an unabashed burlesque about a streetwise Jewish private detective (a "circumcised dick" in his own parlance) named Mordechai Jefferson Carver (Adam Goldberg). Once ostracized by Gentile children, Mordechai has become a much-feared defender of Jews, so extreme that even the militant Jewish Justice League tosses him out. Until, that is, JJL leader Chief Bloomenbergansteinhal (Peter Coyote) and his lovely daughter Esther (Judy Greer) recruit him to take on the wicked Damien (Andy Dick), a snippy anti-Semite who murders Santa Claus in order to turn Christmas into a Jew-hating holiday. Written and directed by Jonathan Kesselman, this sporadically funny feature is based on a funkier short (included on this DVD) of the same name. The cast is better than the generally obvious material, and Nora Dunn (as Mordechai's mother) and Mario Van Peebles are very good in supporting roles. --Tom Keogh Amazon.com

Great Movie

I don't understand people who were offended by this. They're ripping on people who are prejudice, it's quite obvious. Have you ever seen South Park? It's exactly like that. I personally find the movie very amusing. If you're offended, turn it off! September 17, 2008

Just plain zany!

This movie was just fun. If you are looking for straight, typical comedy, this is not for you. But if you can enjoy a zany, tongue-in-cheek story line that is just good for some great laughs, you will enjoy this. Also, if you come from a Jewish background, some of the references will be especially appreciated. I think that Shaft would have really liked this lead character. February 15, 2008

Jewish Humor

I did not watch this myself but purchased it for a relative who loved it and watches it repeatedly. Good cultural humor - fun and a bit obscure. January 21, 2008

Hammer Review

I thought this was a funny adult movie. It might be a little over the top for some people and definitely not for children. If you have a weird sense of humor and can laugh at the Santa Claus myth, check it out. This is not a Miracle on 34th Street movie. January 14, 2008

It's the Fiendish Jewish Joke Torture!

You know, the fiendish Chinese water torture where someone is strapped down and water is drip...drip...dripped slowly onto his forehead until he goes mad and screams out whatever his confession is? Well, this movie was sort of like that, only with very predictable Jewish jokes.

A Jewish detective who's a "circumcized private dick"....drip....
...orders Manischewitz on the rocks in a nazi skinhead bar....drip...
...and has a gold Star of David hood ornament on his Cadillac...drip...
and his mother and girfriend collude to manipulate him...drip...
and on and on until you scream for mercy.

I would have only given it one star, but I really liked our hero's mother. She was genuinely funny, and I liked the way she got her boychik to do what she wanted him to do. By comparing him to Mrs. Rosenberg's son Arnie in a shrieking tone, or something like that. Drip...yeah, OK, but she at least made me smile, while the rest of the picture made me snooze.

It was probably funny on paper - maybe it should have just been a comedy sketch and it got stretched out too long for feature length release...drip...drip...drip...

Whatever...




December 19, 2007

More reviews at Amazon.com ...