The Love Guru

Forget animated characters, Mike Myers is back in his first original role since Austin Powers and he doesn’t disappoint. The Love Guru is a thinly veiled homage to Deepak Chopra, focusing on the travails of one guru who has to break a curse, reunite a couple and get a hockey team to the Stanley Cup. That’s no small order, but you can expect hilarious hi-jinks to ensue.

Mike Myers doesn’t miss a step in this comedy that centers around the star player of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Darren Roanoake, played to perfection by Romany Malco. Roanoke’s wife is lured away by the star player of the LA Kings, Jacques Grand (Justin Timberlake) and it’s up to the Love Guru to restore domestic harmony to get Malco back on his game.

With a cast that includes Jessica Alba and Ben Kingsley, it’s hard to go wrong. Myers penned the original story with Graham Gordy and co-produces with Michael deLuca. It’s been a tough road for Myers since the success of Austin Powers, and although he’s turned out terrific performances in animated flicks, this marks his return to playing a human, something audiences have been waiting for with baited breath.

The premise behind the Love Guru Movie is not necessarily new, meshing the classic fish out water tale with a boy meets girl scenario, but Myers makes it work. His character, Pitka, is abandoned as a boy outside an ashram in India and is trained in the way of the guru. Coming to America, he finds fame as a self-help guru that caters to the stars.

Known for his unorthodox techniques, Pitka is hired on by the owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Jane Bullard (Alba). The team has been a victim of the Bullard Curse for forty years and it appears as though it has struck again in the form of disharmony in the marriage between Malco and his estranged wife. Timberlake is perfection in his role as the golden boy of the LA Kings who woos away said wife.

Given Myers love of Chopra and hockey, this is certainly a project made in heaven for the 45 year old star. Known for mixing life and art, Myers hits his stride in this movie, after disappointing audiences in his turn as the Cat and the Hat. He is definitely in his element in this zany comedy that features some of today’s hottest rising stars. It’s a smart career move for Myers and one that audiences will undoubtedly embrace, so long as he keeps himself in check.

The Love Guru is set to premier on June 20th in the United States. Expect a big roll out and a lot of coverage as Hollywood makes book on whether Myers can bring in the audiences. Given the popularity of the Shrek movies and Myers in general, most movie goers should be able to forgive Myers for his few missteps and thoroughly enjoy this fun and lighthearted comedy.