Click Poster to Purchase
Review #659 of 365
Movie Review of Meet Dave (2008) [PG] 90 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $13.25
Where Viewed: United Artists Denver Pavilions Stadium 15, Denver, CO
When Seen: 12 July 2008
Time: 7:10 pm
DVD Release Date: 25 November 2008 (click date to purchase or pre-order)
Soundtrack: Download now from 
- or - order the CD below
Directed by: Brian Robbins (Norbit)
Screenplay by: Rob Greenburg (Spellbound ) • Bill Corbett (The Film Crew: The Giant of Marathon)
Featured Cast (Where You Might Remember Him/Her From):
Eddie Murphy (Shrek the Third) • Elizabeth Banks (Fred Claus) • Gabrielle Union (Daddy's Little Girls) • Scott Caan (Ocean's Thirteen) • Ed Helms (Semi-Pro) • Kevin Hart (Superhero Movie) • Mike O'Malley (Leatherheads) • Pat Kilbane (Semi-Pro) • Judah Friedlander (Date Movie) • Marc Blucas (The Jane Austen Book Club) • Jim Turner (Bewitched) • Austyn Myers (debut)
review lite • website • premiere photos • spoiler • 2cOrNot2c?
After his dismal in almost every way big screen comedy return that was Norbit, posters announcing a new Eddie Murphy comedy called first Starship Dave and then Meet Dave were at once unwelcome. And, probably, going into see Meet Dave with low expectations, is a good idea, for the surprises will carry even more impact in the positive direction. Actually, though, given Mr. Murphy's abundant talent, expectations should be high, and he should be held to them. Fortunately, his ego takes a firm back seat in this film, and he comfortably re-emerges the hilarious physical and situational comedian those of use who grew up on him beginning way back in his "SNL" and then Bev Hills Cop days. It will be hard to convince me, ever, that he's made a better comedy than Coming to America. Ironically, there is a tiny big of overlap between that fresh and original comedy with the plot of Meet Dave. In both cases, he plays a fish out of water who comes to New York City. The former to find love, the latter to find a missing orb that's been sent from his home world to drain the earth of its water to save his dying planet. The genius of Meet Dave is that the tiny aliens have designed a space ship to look exactly like a real human being—in this case in the likeness of their Captain (Eddie Murphy) who flies and operates the ship's human motions. After crashing on earth near the orb's last none location (which turned out to be a kid's gold fish bowl instead of the ocean), the starship is righted and then sent out on its mission learning to walk and get around in style. Taping into Google® helps the ship's Cultural Officer No. 3 (Gabrielle Union) discover much about the earthlings in the area. Her job is to help guide in cases of interactions with real humans. While on his mission, the Captain ends up getting the ship in front of Gina Morrison (Elizabeth Banks) who's not the best driver in New York City.
…engaging cast, great effects, Mr. Murphy's comedic brilliance, an awesomely creative story, and some important life lessons…it's time to Meet Dave.
She smashed him head on and shoots his body/ship 100 yards. After power is restored, the ship comes to, and Gina insists he come home with her to ensure he's ok. This is where she asks him his name, Google® reveals that "Ming Chang" is the most common name on earth, so he says he's Ming Chang. She says she thinks he looks more like a "Dave" to which he replies, "It is, Dave Ming Chang." Later, he notes a picture of the juvenile living in the dwelling holding the missing orb as a science fair project. The Captain realizes it is critical to find the boy and locate the orb. The ship's engineer suggests that the damage to the craft and repairs will deplete ship's power in fewer than 48 hours, so time becomes of the essence. By design, the story is really two stories in one. What goes on inside the starship as the little people from the planet Nil become more acquainted with earth or rather New York City customs many of which are completely foreign to the Nilians, like being fabulous ala "Chorus Line – The Musical" which incites a complete, Priscilla Queen of the Desert-like make-over for No. 4 the Security Officer (Pat Kilbane), and an appreciation for love as the mechanical starship Dave/Captain becomes the object of certain affection on the outside by Gina and on the inside by No. 3. Along the way, Dave battles a school bully, teaches a young boy the value of being himself, helps an "X-Files"-mad NYPD Blue office named Dooley (Scott Caan) fulfill his dream of proving there is life off earth, and proves that the size of your heart is less important than what you do with it.
For Eddie Murphy, the role is a return to the form that made him Eddie Murphy. He is absolutely charming and hilarious in this dual role within a role comedy that asks him to imagine his body is a giant spaceship for the tiny people inside. After his collision with Gina's station wagon, his foot suffers heavy damage. As the Nilians work tirelessly to effect repairs, he walks perilously down the street dragging the injured foot. This 'footage' brilliantly illustrates his return to form. For those who remember the 'real' Eddie Murphy of yesteryears gone by, this role represents both a re-emergence and resurgence for the legendary comic fallen on harder times of late. Elizabeth Banks and Gabrielle Union play the big and small love interests respectively. Each brings her own brand of upbeat comedy to her role. Both are beautiful, but manage an understated approach to their appearance. Watching the chemistry of each relationship unfold through their eyes breathes the charm and romance into the film. Austin Lynd Myers plays Gina's son, who recovers the orb. He's a more central character than the credit order implies. With tousled hair and a gleaming smile he's relatively less preoccupied with being hazed at school than the usual bullied character. Un-phased and positive, he's only slightly showing the signs of concern that he's so small and powerless to control his life and destiny in a sea of bigger, meaner kids. He's more complicated than most juvenile characters written for such elements in film these days. Ed Helms plays No. 2 – 2nd in Command of the starship and the unintended villain of the film. With a Steve Carrelesque grimace he mutinies when it's clear that the Captain is off mission for too long and too many of his crewmates seem to be taken in by the wild frenzy that is life on earth as they come to know it—a far cry from the only video footage from which they had to work received from across time and space, a snipped from an old "Fantasy Island" episode where Mr. Roarke and Tattoo are seen featuring the now classic line "De plane, De plane" which apparently conjured expectations of a very sadly civilized but well-dressed culture in matching white suits with black ties.
With this engaging cast, great effects, Mr. Murphy's comedic brilliance, an awesomely creative story, and some important life lessons, Brian Robbins's Meet Dave blasted away all expectations. While it's true the film might have fit better into the late 80s early 90s, for those of us still nostalgic about a time when comedic movies meant something more than just how many times a moron can swear in a single sentence, how many illegal situations a couple of idiotic, pre-pubescent teenagers can get into in 30 minutes, or who can create the grossest gross out scene ever concocted and then put on film sometimes even writing the entire script so that it can lead up to this monstrosity of unnecessary curiosity, it's time to Meet Dave.
Alternate Posters
Click to Purchase
Send This Review To a Friend
Related Products from Amazon.com
Other Projects Featuring Meet Dave (2008)
Cast Members
Eddie Murphy • Elizabeth Banks • Gabrielle Union
Scott Caan • Ed Helms • Kevin Hart
Mike O'Malley • Pat Kilbane • Judah Friedlander
Marc Blucas • Austyn Myers
Director
Brian Robbins
Writers
Rob Greenburg • Bill CorbettCD Soundtrack
| DVD
| VHS
|
Video Games
| Kindle
| Related DVD
|
Review-lite
Meet Dave (2008) [max of 150 words]
With this engaging cast including Eddie Murphy (who's back in the game), Gabrielle Union, Elizabeth Banks, Scott Caan, and Pat Kilbane; great effects, an awesomely creative story, and some important life lessons, Brian Robbins's Meet Dave blasted away all expectations. While it's true the film might have fit better into the late 80s early 90s, for those of us still nostalgic about a time when comedic movies meant something more than just how many times a moron can swear in a single sentence, how many illegal situations a couple of idiotic, pre-pubescent teenagers can get into in 30 minutes, or who can create the grossest gross out scene ever concocted and then put on film sometimes even writing the entire script so that it can lead up to this monstrosity of unnecessary curiosity, it's time to Meet Dave.
Send This Review To a Friend
No comments:
Post a Comment