Palabras: Ron Henriques
One thing is for certain and that's Mike Myers has an incredible imagination. Whatever small tidbits he spots in life, he's able to process and develop them into hilarious comedic bits or incredibly detailed characters. 'The Love Guru' isn't as noble an effort as the Austin Powers series, in fact Myers may be one of the weakest elements in the film, but witnessing the Canadian transform into an Indian born self-help superstar can be funny. The Guru Pitka is nowhere near as interesting as Dr. Evil, Austin Powers, Wayne Campbell or even the old Scottish dad in 'So I Married an Axe Murderer." There's nothing offensive about Myers' performance or the fact he's a white guy acting like an Indian because there is sincerity behind the character's peace and love approach. Hoping to be the next Deepak Chopra (who not only appears as himself, but a younger version as Pitka's childhood rival) Myers' creation was raised in India and instilled with the philosophical teachings of the Guru Tugginmypudha played by a cross-eyed Sir Ben Kingsley. (Sounds terrible but as always Kingsley is hilarious). Now an adult and a smashing success, Pitka is more like a rock star of love than a philosopher. His seminars include various acronyms whose real meanings are some rather naughty phrases and instead of bidding his followers "peace" or "farewell" his mantra is "Mariska Hargitay".

Pitka holds sold-out seminars, has published various self-help books like "If You're Happy and You Know It, Think Again" and pledges to help his students go from being "nowhere" to feeling like they're "now here". Requesting his services is Jessica Alba's Jane Bullard, owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs who reluctantly inherited the job when her father passed. She's hoping to break the curse of the team's losing streak (which the fans have blamed her for since birth), by helping star player Darren Roanoke (Romany Malco) rediscover his mojo. Like most athletes, Roanoke's ego got too big for his own good and after running around on his wife Prudence (Megan Good) she returned the favor by leaving him for a team rival. The problem is her new boyfriend is the famous goalie Jaques Grande (Justin Timberlake) a Quebecois stud with a porn-star mustache who is supposedly so well endowed his nickname is "Le Coq." Roanoke now shakes like a baby when he takes to the ice and only Guru Pitka can help him get his act together and win back his wife.

Though the film focuses on Myers, there are some peripheral laughs to be found in the performances of the always reliable Malco (who is so full of himself that in one scene he sports a red leather outfit reminiscent of Eddie Murphy's "Delirious" days) and Verne Troyer, best known as "Mini-Me", as the team coach, who gets abused more than a hockey puck in this film. Though they make great eye candy, the two leading ladies feel like they're barely there, especially new mother Alba who probably took the role to have a separate budget for a supply of 'Pampers" over the next five years. She does have one funny bit where upon first sight Myers imagines her singing and performing in a classic Bollywood musical sequence, with full get-up and occasional film distortions and scratches. The problem is that gag wears out its welcome by being repeated.

Myers doesn't disappear into the Guru Pitka like he has in past roles. As Austin Powers he donned a simple wig, glasses and British accent, but by shaving his head and wearing slight make-up, he transformed into Dr. Evil so well that I often forgot both characters were actually the same guy. Where in the "Austin Powers" series he often played up to four characters, we are left with just one version of Myers here. I won't count his "cameo" as himself in a later sequence even though Kanye West can be spotted next to him in a funny jab at his George Bush and Hurricane Katrina comments a few years ago. First time director Marco Schnabel, seems to have picked up a lot as 'Austin Powers' helmer Jay Roach's former second unit director. This is a beautifully shot film that surprisingly works on a visual level. The picture isn't the worst or the least satisfying of Myers' outings, because despite the many jokes that fail, there are quite a number that succeed. But even when Myers fails he does so masterfully.

via latinoreview.com