Zoo Keeper (2011)

Don’t let the world around you squeeze you
into its own mould…

Romans 12:2 (J.B. Phillips)

My expectations when I went to the advance screening of this comedy were so low (having seen Bad Teacher the week before) that I was pleasantly surprised at how well it dealt with a basic Christian theme—voca tion. But that’s about all, this Kevin James comedy about the animals at the Philadelphia Zoo breaking their code of silence in order to help Griffin Keyes, their kind zookeeper, connect with the gal who jilted him some years earlier is so filled with gross humor that it is entirely unsuited to the children to whom this film should have been directed. Fortunately, young children dragged to this will probably be bored rather than corrupted.

However, a young adult group could launch into a worthwhile discussion of vocation after seeing the film—probably a more enjoyable one than would be afforded by any church-produced film on the subject. (Young adults should get a big kick out of Griffin and Bernie ‘s dining out at T.G.I.F.) Those enamored with Joseph Campbell can substitute “bliss” for “vocation.”

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