Rickbowman21 Was expecting the usual zany Rob Schneider movie - was completely blown away. It was beautiful! A great message. Anytime you can see a transformation in an individual and watch how they become a better person, it's a good thing. At the beginning, we're wondering what has caused the self-destructive behavior, but as the movie progresses, we see the road he has taken, and where it has lead. The roles played by the Colombian girl and the three Natives were wonderfully done. I felt they were totally believable, and the innocence and beauty all four had contributed greatly to the film. I was also impressed by the role of Steve Buscemi. This was also a different part for him, and I felt that the dialog between the two brothers and their mother in the storage unit was particularly touching. The last scene brought tears - compassion was there and was exhibited through the saving the hawk metaphor. I would highly recommend this film and I just can't see where the criticism comes from!

Daniel Valencia (jeweldevil) If you love Rob Schneider, you'll probably hate this movie. It is quiet and quaint like you've never seen him before, and there isn't a ridiculous catchphrase within 100 yards of it.Schneider plays Paul Zadzik, an obnoxious, Elvis impersonating car salesman, a caricature of the Los Angeles success story. He has lost his way. The film begins after his fall, which is uncommon for this genre but works well here and allows Schneider to develop intricate relationships with his mother (Holland Taylor) and brother (Steve Buscemi) and convince you he is a good man with no extraordinary gifts or flaws. (Except for alcoholism which isn't given the sort of mythic glory that movies often seem partial to.) A clumsy suicide attempt is interrupted by three wise men and a kind and sweet madonna who tell him he is their chosen one, the spiritual savior of their people. He is slowly won over by their quiet contentment which he yearns to emulate. He is at a loss for what to do with them, though, since they don't want to leave his side and are unable or unwilling to tell him how he is supposed to save them. They want him to figure this out on his own, which he eventually does through a recurring dream.It doesn't happen this quickly or this neatly-packaged. The movie takes its time and it takes a little getting used to, especially for anyone expecting Schneider to turn into a woman, , or a male prostitute, or a dolphin.We've seen this story before, financially successful and spiritually barren man encounters a guru/crisis/woman (this movie has all three!) who awakens them a deeper and more genuine life. But I'm not a cynic, as far as I'm concerned, they can keep doing it. When they're bad, they're harmless and when they're good they give you something you can carry with you. This isn't a religious experience, but it's a nice movie, a sweet movie, a friend who sometimes gets a little boring, but who you're happy to have around.Buscemi plays a bitter, smoking Buddhist monk with understated brilliance. Taylor, perhaps now best known as the mother on Two and a Half Men presents a shockingly vulnerable and humane matriarch that makes her mother on Men seem like Cruella DeVille in her younger, eviler days. The interplay between the three is remarkable, especially since Schneider, as director, should take some responsibility for their performances.Schneider's character seems to parallel the actor in many ways. Schneider as actor is known for his obnoxious caricatures. Here his protagonist has a yearning so deep, it is easy to be convinced that the yearning is Schneider's own. He seems to want to emulate a quiet and vulnerable, early-dramatic-career Robin Williams. He doesn't have the slick and solid writing and production Williams enjoyed in The World According to Garp and Dead Poets Society, but the fact that he not only directed and starred in but co-wrote this earnest piece is a pleasant surprise. Especially when the lines he is most known for are, "You like-a the sauce," "Makin' copies," and "You can dooooo it!" I enjoyed this movie a lot and it'll remain on my list of movies to seek solace in when the obnoxious caricatures seem to be all that's survives out there.

Mikael Myggen I'm dead serious. This film is all kinds of awful. Actually, I made an account here just because I felt an urgent need to express to everyone who reads this page how bad this movie is. Let's go over everything this movie does wrong:When I started this movie, I assumed that there would be a plot. Any plot would do. When the main character, played by Rob Schneider, attempts to kill himself, I figured that that would be the film's low point. I was wrong. Watching the main character almost kill himself was actually the high point for me, but I didn't realize this until about halfway through the movie because I didn't have any idea what sort of crap this guy would put me through. Does that make me a bad person? Maybe. Say what you will, I challenge anyone who watches this to feel differently.After the attempted suicide, a group of nomads show up. Sure, it's random, but I don't have any real problems with that. However, it bothers me that these nomads have almost no personal depth at all. The only reason they're on the screen is to attempt comedy and waste time. Their personalities are almost as bland as the camera angles. That being said, Schneider's character is extremely boring and predictable. The only character who even comes close to watchable is played by Carolina Gómez, and even then, she doesn't say anything except for mystical riddles and wisdom. She offers us useful tidbits, such as "sometimes you have to have faith instead of believing". I don't have to point out that that doesn't make sense, right? It's like somebody cracked open every fortune cookie in China, and crumpled into a giant nonsensical screenplay. Also, the pacing is very strange, and completely random heavy-handed melodrama is handed out on a regular basis, along with attempted comedy.And just when I thought that boring was the worst I could hope for, something else happens: it becomes mildly offensive. The film implies that -- SPOILER ALERT -- Schneider's dad has reincarnated as an eagle. While I'm not against the idea of reincarnation, I don't like how the film presents the idea. Everything in this film is basically identical to typical reality, and then there's...that. It's just overly preachy.All that being said, I'm not a completely hateful person, and this film definitely had a few redeeming moments, usually in the form of lighthearted comedy. Also, Schneider is actually a pretty good actor throughout most of the film. But...that's it.I don't think I need to restate what I've said already. Unless you have low standards, or if you just hate yourself, do not see Chosen One.

levitak When you think of Rob Schneider usually two things come to mind.1. Small cameo in an Adam Sandler movie 2. Mediocre comedy good for a few laughs but overall a disaster However this movie is surprisingly compelling. It's not a comedy but simply a really nice story. Rob Schneider is a care salesman who is living a completely empty life. His wife has left him, he drinks all the time, he has no real friends and he is pretty much utterly frustrated with his life However things started changing when one day 3 holy man from a south American tribe and their interpreter Marissa played by the wonderful Caroline Gomez come to his life. They tell him that he is The Chose One who is meant to save their tribe.He reacts like any one of us would react and dismisses them. However he is a truly nice guy and tries his best to help them feel comfortable and return back to their home. This slowly starts changing him and this is done in a really great way.And of course there is Steve Buschemi who is great as always I didn't expect to like this movie or at most I expected a few cheap laughs. But I was wrong. It was a really good movie and I recommend it to everybody :)