Movie Review: ‘Meet Dave’ a treat for Murphy fans

“From the same director who brought you ‘Norbit’”… Bet you didn’t hear that line in the trailer for the latest Eddie Murphy comedy “Meet Dave.”

Don’t let the fact that Brian Robbins was behind the wheel discourage you from reading this review or seeing the film because both he and its extroverted star redeem themselves with 90 minutes of family friendly entertainment. Rasputia need not apply.

With so many gigantic films opening this summer, “Meet Dave” is like a refreshing pause. Your heart won’t race, nor will your soul, but a smile will have definitely crept across your face by the time the “Dave” credits roll.

As he does in most of his films, Murphy plays a double role here ?— only this time, thank goodness, there’s no fat suit involved.

The film opens in “Men in Black” fashion with a tiny orb crashing in to a young boy’s fishbowl on Earth. Three months later, a spaceship lands at the foot of the Statue of Liberty in the form of Eddie Murphy. Inside Murphy’s “head” lies an entire fleet of space cadets (think “Spaceballs” meets “Innerspace”) led by a captain — also played by Murphy — whose mission it is to get the orb in order to save their people. This premise sets up a plot chock-full of giggle-evoking moments.

At first, Dave has a hard time even walking, smiling or gesturing. Remember when Daryl Hannah first emerged from Liberty Island in “Splash” full of innocence and wonder? The scene is set the same for Dave although he’s clad in a white suit inspired by Tattoo’s in “Fantasy Island” instead of the birthday kind. Murphy hits the streets of NYC and his imitation of everyone while he’s learning to act human is pure hilarity (once that signature smile cracks you remember why you liked this actor so much in the first place) and showcases physical comedy at its best.

The spaceship disguised as a man coincidentally meets Gina (Elizabeth Banks from “Scrubs”), the mother of the child that has the orb, after she hits him with her car. After bringing him back to her apartment Dave introduces himself as Dave Ming Chang and proceeds to try to drink a glass of water she’s given him. The good times roll as Dave haphazardly slurps the H2O, which puzzles the Earthling and wreaks havoc on the tiny cadets inside Dave’s mouth. It’s when Dave stays for breakfast and starts chugging the catsup that Gina realizes there might be something “Cocoonish” happening.

Even though Dave is weird, Gina decides to take him, along with her son, on a date night of sorts. They end up at the fair where Dave (and company) rides his first coaster and enters a Nathan’s hot dog eating contest. After woofing 85 dogs down, he excuses himself because his “colon is impacted” and you can guess what happens in the restroom.

Eventually, a mutiny aboard the Dave spaceship occurs and all heck ensues. Captain and No. 3 (the always stunning Gabrielle Union) are ejected from the vessel and, all of the sudden, it’s “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” on the streets of New York. Though the CGI is not out of this world in scenes like the aforementioned one, it doesn’t detract from the fun or funny.

Some of the best movies ever made are sci-fi comedies — “Ghostbusters,” “BTTF,” and “Weird Science” are classics. Though “Meet Dave” doesn’t join the ranks of the greats, it draws from a potpourri of cinema that would ultimately smell good if movies had a fragrance. Murphy and Robbins, we forgive you.

Adrienne Mackey is a freelance movie reviewer. Hear her talk a lot

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The Details

2.5/4 Stars

Comedy/Sci-Fi

Run time: 1 hours, 30 minutes.

Rated PG for bawdy and suggestive humor, action and some language.

Starring: Eddie Murphy, Elizabeth Banks, Gabrielle Union, Scott Caan.

Written by: Rob Greenberg, Bill Corbett.

Directed by: Brian Robbins.