2016 Directed by Zack Norman, Neil Cohen
An outrageous social comedy about a New York realtor who dreams of having political influence by taking over a new Polynesian nation.
USA
USA
Zack Norman is "Sammy" in CHIEF ZABU...what the fuck else do you need?!?
Push the button, Frank.
A thirty-year-old and previously unfinished / unreleased feature resurrected in the last stages of the recent American election cycle with a hopeful bid towards relevance. Even at a mere 74 minutes, the film feels labored, overlong, and its focus is indeterminate at best. There is no scathing political satire at its center, but instead a much discussed, but rarely seen or heard, title character. It took me approx. three hours to finish watching this film. That's all you need to know.
GIFF 2017 FILM 1
Highly enjoyable. Hilarious and holds up terrific. A riot of clever and relatable situations that never cease to spread a grin across your face.
Movie about a rich guy that everyone thinks is weird. Can’t stop eating walnuts for some reason. Honestly bangs
Plenty of this is ridiculous and messy and unnecessary, but it holds together with a scrappy energy and then the final scenes hit with a sinking feeling of being all too accurate.
The long driving conversation take (as seen in poster) is a miracle and so is this weird little movie.
Hailing from the golden age of the 80s, Chief Zabu is a hidden indie gem that still feels crisply relevant and perfectly timed for its 2016 release more than 30 years later. Directed by the entertainment power duo esteemed Zack Norman and entertainment polymath Neil Cohen, Chief Zabu is a socio-political and buddy comedy and boy, does it perform these genres perfectly. Real estate agents Ben Sydney (Allen Garfield) and Sammy Brooks (Zack Norman) are seemingly normal guys, except they start to set their sights higher with political power in mind. Fixating on a small Polynesian island, the two exasperated New Yorkers lumber around to make their dreams of love, respect, and power try to come true. The comedic chemistry between Norman and Garfield coupled with the charming and stellar script, kept me hanging onto every word. Outrageously funny, I thought Chief Zabu is a comedy that paints a picture of desiring power that still reigns true today.
