Go For Zucker

Two estranged Jewish brothers -- high-living but now penurious former East German Jackie (Henry Hubchen), and Samuel (Udo Samel), the more sober, successful and religious sibling who grew up in the West -- are thrown together by their mother's death. Her will dictates that they'll only get their inheritance if they reconcile and, more significantly, if they adhere to her Orthodox Jewish strictures. Jackie, married to a non-Jew, knows zilch about his religion but, to appease Samuel, hatches a plot to pretend to be Orthodox.

Ostensibly a comedy, "Go For Zucker" makes a heavy-handed hash of its overly contrived plot, which plays like a lame sitcom. Worse, it evokes anti-Semitic stereotypes in its depiction of its Jewish characters as greedy and conniving. Granted, the film's director is Jewish and everyone, Jew and Gentile alike, is skewered, but since "Go for Zucker" is a German movie, it still makes for an uneasy cinematic experience. Starring Henry Hubchen, Udo Samel and Hannelore Elsner. Directed by Dani Levy. Written by Holger Franke and Dani Levy. Produced by Manuela Stehr. A First Run release. Comedy. German-language; subtitled. Unrated. Running time: 90 min