Zoolander

2001
R
1h 30m

IMDb RATING

6.5/10

300K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

1,245

Play trailer2:24

1 Video

99+ Photos

Satire Slapstick Comedy

At the end of his career, a clueless fashion model is brainwashed to kill the Prime Minister of Malaysia.At the end of his career, a clueless fashion model is brainwashed to kill the Prime Minister of Malaysia.At the end of his career, a clueless fashion model is brainwashed to kill the Prime Minister of Malaysia.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.5/10

300K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

1,245

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 win & 11 nominations

Trivia
Derek's repetition of the line "But why male models?" for the second time, in the cemetery scene, was an ad-lib by the actors; Ben Stiller forgot his line and simply repeated the earlier line again, and David Duchovny ran with it and gave him a straight answer.

Goofs
A large premise of the movie is that Zoolander is unable to turn left, but he is seen doing that several times in the film: When Maury calls out to Derek at the red carpet for the award show; during the award show's montage (although this could be explained as the footage being flipped); when startled by J.P. Prewitt in the cemetery; when leaving the cemetery; and when Derek finishes talking to Matilda on the Walkie Talkie in Maury's office he turned left to go back to helping Hansel look for the computer files.

Quotes
Derek Zoolander: Rufus, Brint, and Meekus were like brothers to me. And when I say brother, I don't mean, like, an actual brother, but I mean it like the way black people use it. Which is more meaningful I think.
Derek Zoolander: If there is anything that this horrible tragedy can teach us, it's that a male model's life is a precious, precious commodity. Just because we have chiseled abs and stunning features, it doesn't mean that we too can't not die in a freak gasoline fight accident.

Alternate versions
The original theatrical version included a goat in the orgy scene. (The goat can be seen, briefly, the morning after).

Connections
Edited from VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards (2000)

Soundtracks
Relax
by Peter Gill, Holly Johnson (as William Johnson) & Mark O'Toole
Performed by Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Courtesy of ZTT Records Ltd. and Courtesy of Universal Records
By Arrangement with Universal Music Enterprises

User reviews593

Review

Featured review

Stiller and Wilson are great together

A hilarious, ridiculous comedy that does a great job of poking fun at celebrity. Ben Stiller seems to think that fame is rather silly and he shows his contempt for it in the form of male super-model Derek Zoolander. The intellect-challenged, self-absorbed Zoolander pouts, struts and mispronounces wonderfully throughout this comedy that's aimed at being stupid.

The "plot-line" begins when Derek is targeted by a clandestine fashion alliance in need of a dim-witted, male super-model. Fitting the bill to a tee, Derek is brainwashed via a Clockwork-Orange-esque treatment that orders him to kill the visiting Prime Minister of Malaysia, whose progressive take on child-labour laws and sweatshops has become a serious thorn in the side of the fashion cartel. Whenever Derek hears "Relax" by Frankie Goes To Hollywood, that's his trigger to kill the Prime Minister.

Some movies try so hard at being ridiculous that it actually kills its comedic value (see "Scary Movie" and "Scary Movie 2"). It's quite a feat to maintain a balance, which Zoolander accomplishes.

You'll either love or hate this movie. If you like silly, you'll like Zoolander. Also, I found that this movie gets better with age, so don't be so quick to cast it aside.