Ishtar

Storyline

Ishtar, Two terrible lounge singers get booked to play a gig in a Moroccan hotel but somehow become pawns in an international power play between the CIA, the Emir of Ishtar, and the rebels trying to overthrow his regime.

I LOVE This Movie

Ishtar, I didnt know crap about this movie when I started watching it on cable tv, I thought I was gonna see All The President’s Men… But from the moment it started I was captivated. This movie is SO good. The humor is so intelligent and self deprecating. Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman as the worst songwriting duo in history is one of the funniest things I have ever seen on screen. The only reason im writing anything is because im shocked that so many people hate this movie. Truthfully, I just think this movie was just so ahead of it’s time in irreverence and comical situations that the people just didnt get it at the time of it’s release.

I never understood why ‘Ishtar’ received such bad reviews. I personally laughed myself silly at these two big stars, obviously enjoying themselves so much in their crazy parts. I think Beatty and Hoffman work well together as a comedy team. Just watch them in the “schmuck/smuck” scene: their facial expressions and vocal intonations are fantastic. Or Lyle (Beatty) in a fight with a turban, and the turban almost wins! Or Chuck (Hoffman) in a weapon’s deal (“I don’t speak Arabic, I only know all the Berber dialects…”). Of course the plot is insane, but I’d rather see these two guys doing comedy than, say, today’s ‘comedy hero’ Ben Stiller and friends.

This is top notch humor, the two huge stars are not afraid to totally get into the self depreciating humor and make the characters as silly, yet still recognizable as ‘real life schmucks’ as possible.

There ARE people like that out there. The ‘Chuck Clarke’s’ of the world, who despite everything going against them keep believing they are one day going to make it big because they’re really misunderstood geniuses.

Ishtar, Or the Lyle Rogers’ of the world, who’re always following in the footsteps of someone they actually buy into being ‘great’.

To Lyle, Chuck is someone to look up to, possibly because Lyle is so painfully shy and insecure not to mention – let’s face it – borderline retarded, that anyone who can out volume his whispery speaking voice must be a person who knows exactly what he is talking about. Enter Chuck, who needs a (as he calls it) ‘schmuck’ like Lyle beside him just to feel good about himself. Of course the characterizations are greatly exaggerated, but who cares? It makes for one hilarious movie. Not forgetting Charles Grodin whose deadpan performances are always good for a laugh.

‘Ishtar’ a bad movie? Much worse stuff and much more expensive stuff hits the theaters on a regular basis and undeservedly gets praised into heaven. ‘Ishtar’ is hilarious and to be recommended for anyone who needs a belly aching laugh.

The Bells Of St Trinians