The Love Guru
Year: | 2008 |
Studio: | Paramount Pictures |
Director: | Marco Schnabel |
Producer: | Mike Myers |
Writer: | Mike Myers |
Cast: | Mike Myers, Jessica Alba, Justin Timberlake, Romany Malco, Meagan Good, Verne Troyer, Ben Kingsley |
Yes the jokes are lame, yes it's a stale retread of the Austin Powers movies, yes half of it's toilet humour, but Myers knows that, and he knows a lot of moviegoers will know (and appreciate) it. Although (screech of brakes), not enough did, the very expensive movie returning half its budget so far. What the hell did they spend $60m on?
He plays an Indian guru with a series of bestselling books, homespun philosophies and a burning desire to be the new Deepak Chopra. When he's hired by the winsome owner of an ice hockey team (Alba) to get the star player back with his hot wife before his lack of concentration loses the team the whole series, it sets the scene for all sorts of comic hijinks.
Elephants copulating, a cross eyed teacher with a snigger-worthy name (Kingsley), Pitka's faithful offsider sidelining in tech support for Dell computers – none of it's meant to be sophisticated comedy and it isn't. Don't avoid it like the plague you've heard it is, but don't expect more than a few chuckles.