The Love Guru (2008)

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

The Love Guru. Feature film. (2008, 87 mins) IMDB

...it's much funnier film than people give it credit...

saw the many bad reviews for this film before I watched it and braced myself. I'm also biased because this film is about hockey and Canada which means I can relate and I do. I will say I was surprised. I had a smile on my face from the start of the movie to the end. That doesn't happen very often. Rarely. This film did it for me. My cheeks are sore from smiling. I'm in isolation in that regard, but that's what happened. Yes, I cringed at the urine mop sequence (please press fast forward) and the elephants copulating on the ice during a hockey game was too much, but I can let that pass because I was laughing and smiling so much during the rest of the film.

If this film rated so poorly, what gives? What did I see that others didn't? What is wrong with them? I'm not sure. I suppose since success is measured with US box office receipts where hockey rates with water polo, they don't get it and don't care. Oh well. Their loss.

While the Leafs, my favourite team, is a central part of the movie, it's not a hockey movie. US folks should have gotten past that but I guess they couldn't. All I can say is I'm not going to hide and lie. I liked this movie.

I was also impressed with the skating ability of the actors in this film. While there were stunt doubles for the fast, puck handling moments, the actors were on the ice, in equipment, and they didn't fall flat on their face. It was impressive.

There was an obvious scene missed: the love guru struggling on skates. Not sure why they didn't include such a scene. I'd say, include it in the sequel, except unlike Wayne's World and Austin Powers, there won't be a sequel.

Posted 2009/04/28 at 20h02ET in Movie Commentary.

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