By Graceland Geek

The Love Guru
Directed by Marco Schnabel
Starring Mike Myers, Jessica Alba, Justin Timberlake, Verne Troyer
Rated PG-13
Release date: June 20, 2008

The Love Guru is a raunchy comedy worthy only of Mike Myers. His newest character, Guru Pitka, is a cross between a horny Siddhartha and a hyped up Austin Powers on crack.

It has been awhile since we have seen Myers on the big screen in a live-action comedy and after his disastrous Cat in the Hat, people were wondering when the characterization genius would introduce us to someone new.

Guru Pitka, an American-born East Indian mystic character is a project Myers has been working even before he brought the “Shag Me Rotten” spy to the big screen.

Drawing upon some the more interesting tidbits of the Guru culture, it is no wonder the whole country of India was ready for a lawsuit, because Myers doesn’t hold back. From the very first scene, Myer’s traditional bathroom humor shines and you can’t help but smile and yes, laugh.

The movie brings an abundance of penis jokes, such as “Tugginmypudha” and random musical numbers like “9 to 5,” “The Joker,” and “More Than Words,” all played by Pitka on his sitar inside his ashram, complete with helicopter pad and neon sign, surrounded by nubile wenches, elephants, and his strange loyal servant, Rajneesh.

The best thing about the film though is that Myers’ jokes seemingly do not get stale and you laugh and smile even though you know exactly where the film is going. I think Myers’ character is so broad that you can’t believe he is making a joke on religion simply because it just to silly. I mean this especially with Pitka’s trademark wisdoms that coat the movie humor with [you guessed it] the atypical Myers’ perverted humor. Check out some of his self-help acronyms: B.I.B.L.E. - Basic Information Before Leaving Earth and B.L.O.W.M.E. - Be Loving & Open With My Emotions.

Ultimately, this film is simply Myers doing his thing and if you can rid yourself from trying to judge this movie by comparing his character of Pitka to Wayne Campbell or Austin Powers, you simply see Myers’ lovable hippie, beatnik style of comedy and it is just enjoyable regardless of how truly stupid the film’s plot is.

The story is, basically, Pitka has to help a troubled hockey player’s love life so he can perform better and the Toronto Maple Leafs can win the Stanley Cup or as Pitka proclaims, “Stanley’s Cup.” At the same time, Pitka must learn about himself or as he calls “INTIMACY - In-To-Me.”

The film’s supporting cast doesn’t steal anything from Myers and is simply there to be there. Jessica Alba brings the babe appeal, Justin Timberlake simply has fun and Verne Troyer is the butt of all the jokes that are penis related. Perhaps the best supporting character is Stephen Colbert, who plays a drug-addicted color commentator for the Maple Leafs.

Overall, The Love Guru works for me simply because I love Mike Myers and his infantile jokes, silliness, and charm just work for me. This comedy will not bring you the current Judd Apatow style of raunchy sex jokes, weed, and a desire to say fuck every six seconds neither does it have the “How I Met Your Mother” guy dropping trow. It does, however, make you laugh and that is the whole point isn’t it?

Go see The Love Guru, smile, laugh, and have fun but remember as Guru Pitka would say, “You must go from Nowhere to Now HERE!”