Chutzpah, This Is? (Video 2005) Poster

(2005 Video)

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8/10
Clever and silly...if you like the joke
planktonrules8 February 2009
This is a great mockumentary that many will no doubt enjoy and many others will fail to understand or appreciate. It's a short film about the first mainstream Jewish rap group and you don't need to be Jewish to appreciate it--this goy certainly enjoyed the film.

What's really interesting about this film is who they managed to get in it. One of the group members, Dr. Dreck, was played by George Segal of all people. At 71 years of age, this was quite a stretch!! Plus, they openly admitted it was Segal, though as they said, "being Segal was a role he played...he IS, in actuality, Dr. Dreck"! In addition, there were many cameos by some people in the recording industry but given my advanced age (44) I have no idea who they were, but I did recognize Gary Oldman in a cute cameo.

The songs aren't great but funny as you hear them rap about Chanukah (there are many different acceptable spellings, so get over how I just spelled this) and other aspects of Jewish culture. For those who know next to nothing about Judaism, much of this will fall flat, though I understood the references and laughed along with them.

Well made and silly. Despite being, in essence, a one-joke film, it worked well and I'd love to see more films like it. Word.
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1/10
This must be the Most stupid, pointless movie ever made
dezteny1914 November 2010
I don't understand that people give this movie good reviews, please spare yourself the effort and time to watch this movie. It's the most pointless religious so called funny Crap you will ever see. I watched it for 15 minutes turned it off and called it a day. Low budget BS. I don't understand that people give this movie good reviews, please spare yourself the effort and time to watch this movie. It's the most pointless religious so called funny Crap you will ever see. I watched it for 15 minutes turned it off and called it a day. Low budget BS. I don't understand that people give this movie good reviews, please spare yourself the effort and time to watch this movie. It's the most pointless religious so called funny Crap you will ever see. I watched it for 15 minutes turned it off and called it a day. Low budget BS.
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10/10
Hysterical Chutzpah!
kiffa-126 March 2006
I thought this film was really funny. I'm not Jewish, but that's not important to get this film. You just have to have a sense of humor. Though I thought this was going to be a Chris Guest type of thing, it was not that it all. In a way, it was better. I think these guys really raised the bar of creating the funniest veil of what's real and what's not. You leave it not really knowing what's what and that is just so terrific.

George Segal is hilarious and it's always a pleasure to see Gary Oldman. The film is also surprisingly clean and so my whole family can watch it. That's pretty rare these days.

I highly recommend this movie to anyone who needs a gut wrenching laugh.
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10/10
Jewtastic Homeboys!
rawpabs26 March 2006
First of all, my crazy neighbor dropped this in my mailbox, so that's how I first learned about 'all the buzz'. The DVD is a total enigma. The film is hilarious and George Segal is in it! Who knew? I wasn't sure if the group was real, but Debi Mazar, Gary Oldman, and Sharon Osbourne all give their seal of approval to Chutzpah ("The World's First Ever Jewish Hip Hop Supergroup"?) and I had never even heard of them!

I think Chutzpah is still pretty underground and they're a bit reminiscent of Citizen's Band minus the acrobatics and politics, although MC Meshugenah, one of the Chutzpah band mates is pretty springy and flexible. I was so intrigued by the DVD that I actually looked up the band online and downloaded their CD from iTunes. So I guess they must be real. There's a song about 'Tsuris' for crying out loud! The music 'represents' and totally keeps it real...in other words, it's really good!

Jewish Rap? It's up and coming eh? I was never really a big fan of rap music, but I realize that it's a perfect genre to express anybody's cultural escapades. This group is legit in my book and their movie could very well be the next cult classic. Keep an eye out for this one film students (and anyone that needs a good laugh!)
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10/10
Funniest Doc Ever!
vinlo25 March 2006
When I first picked this up, I didn't know what to make of it. Then when I watched it, I couldn't control myself. I laughed so hard, I missed half the dialogue.

Then I watched it again and again and again. Every time I saw it, I picked up on more of the many levels this documentary operates on. This isn't just funny. It's deep. It's poignant and I still don't know what's real and what's not, but it doesn't matter because it's just amazing.

I highly recommend this video for anyone who likes comedy. George Segal (Dr. Dreck?) is the best I've seen him since Fun with Dick and Jane. The other cameos like Gary Oldman, Debi Mazar and Vivian Campbell all combine to create the most hilarious short I've ever seen.
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10/10
Outrageous and Hysterical. Completely blurs the lines of reality...great music, great cameos, great comedy!
yeshegonpo17 March 2006
I saw this DVD at a friends house and was completely captured. I couldn't tell if I was watching a bizarre documentary, the ultimate promotional piece for a band I'd ever seen, or an over-the-top sophisticated comedic creation.

From what I've now heard it's a little bit of all three. There really is a group called Chutzpah and this film really does document the making of their record and video...and a CD of theirs is available! With mini music videos and surprising cameos by Gary Oldman, Debi Mazar, Sharon Osbourne and Vivian Campbell of Def Leppard (!) there is a lot to enjoy.

What parts are not true are still unclear to me...whatever the case may be this is a must see for fans of hip hop, Spinal Tap, Jewish humor, and George Segal...yes...George Segal!
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10/10
Good for Israel...Good for America!!
wholesalebyyoffey15 April 2006
I was laughing so much I almost split my pants. Any film that has a Volvo with a GIANT Menorah on top of it is a winner in my book...We need more people driving around the great cities of our country with stuff on top of cars.

The acting in this film (if it was acting) was amazing. I, for one, thought it was all real, but I have heard that some parts were and some were not.

Either way, it's really a great film. Chutzpah has a lot of Chutzpah, but somehow it's always charming...great cameos by Gary Oldman and Vivian Campbell...love George Segal!!! --Can't wait for the feature.
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10/10
Funnier than Christopher Guest
hyloprod12 April 2006
Okay, so Guest does a different thing than these guys did, but, in a way, this is funnier. With Spinal Tap, you know it's a work of fiction (even if the guys really did play their own instruments). With this movie, Chutzpah is actually a real group. I have a feeling not everything I saw was "documentary," but I also didn't care.

The reality line is blurred so well in this film, it should almost be considered for the mystery genre. It's like the Jewish Reno 911.

Mostly, the music is amazing. I don't think anyone has truly delivered a "documentary musical" such as this ever! So the next time you think there is nothing new to do on film, watch Chutzpah, This Is and think again.
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10/10
Terrific and hilarious
sydnie-324 November 2008
This was really a spectacular film. Obviously, it is not "real," but so funny. To see George Segal rapping is beyond belief and the acting from the rest of the cast is amazing (if they were "acting"). What's really the magic here, though, is the music. Though the songs are meant to be funny, the actual music underneath is big and legit. That alone is worth the CD as well an, in my opinion, the key to great comedy.

Kudos to Tor Hyams, David Scharff and Jerran Friedman. I don't think I've seen them in anything before, but I hope to in the future. It's time to get actors like this in more comedy since there isn't much good out there.

I will be sure to recommend!
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