Flick Face-Off: Get Smart vs the Love Guru

For the weekend of 6/20/08 – Two big comedies going head to head on a summer weekend… this is something that most studios don’t dare try. Let’s just say it doesn’t bode well for the studios when moviegoers have to make a choice between 2 comedies. And as much as I love Mike Meyers (So I Married an Axe Murderer is one of my all-time favorite movies), the Love Guru looks like an Austin Powers retread in a different costume and a different accent. I’m sure there’s tons of funny gags, but there’s only so many midget jokes and post-joke winking pauses I can handle before I want to shout “YES! I GET IT! YOU MADE A SAUCY PUN!” I just think Mike and company would be funnier if he didn’t have to keep telling us he’s being funny. That said, I’m sure it will be funny. Mike Meyers is really funny. I just know he can be funnier than some of the stuff he’s been (re)doing these last few years.

On the other side, we have Steve Carell stepping into the telephone shoes of Maxwell Smart in a theatrical remake of the classic comic tv series that starred Don Adams. I have to be honest here… I’ve already seen this movie a few weeks ago and I loved it. As a fan of the tv show and a fan of Carell’s (not to mention the lovely Anne Hathaway), this movie succeeds on all levels. It’s funny, it’s got lots of great action sequences, and everyone in it gets to shine. Stand-outs include Alan Arkin as the Chief and Dwayne Johnson as super-stud Agent 23. Get Smart is really a James Bond movie with just a smidge more slapstick. It’s family friendly without dumbing it down or playing it safe for the younger audiences. But don’t be frightened by the “family-friendly” comment. It’s still really funny (of course, if you really need penis jokes to laugh, I’m sure Guru has plenty). The young ones probably won’t get any of the references to the classic show, but that’s alright. It’s still fun to watch eager over-achiever Max get his shot at being an agent and saving the world. And even though you know that’s going to happen, there are still more than a few little surprises along the way.

So will audiences go and get Smart or will they love Guru? My vote is for Get Smart, making about $40 while Guru makes about $35. It’s so tough to call. Guru is an easy sell because it’s filled with silly, easy, low-brow laughs. Smart might scare people off if they think they have to know the tv show to enjoy it or can’t see Carell as an action star. Of course, if you’re going by the leading lady, as hot as Hathaway is, no one can stand up against Jessica Alba. It’s going to be a close race. If one completely slaughters the other, I’ll be really surprised.

(okay, I overestimated the returns on the Hulk and the Happening last week… by about… $35 million… but at least I got the winner right… even though I admit it wasn’t that hard.)