The guru
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | The guru |
| Original title | Holy man |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1998 |
| length | 114 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 0 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Stephen Herek |
| script | Tom Schulman |
| production |
Roger Birnbaum , Stephen Herek |
| music | Alan Silvestri |
| camera | Adrian Biddle |
| cut | Trudy Ship |
| occupation | |
| |
The Guru is an American film from 1998 . It's a parody of the 1976 film Network .
action
The film is about a spiritually inclined man who simply calls himself G and does good to others. One day, G runs into two advertising professionals (Ricky and Kate) by chance. Strangely enough, they get to know each other on the autobahn when Ricky is about to put the spare wheel on his car because of a breakdown. They say goodbye, Ricky shifts into the wrong gear and can just brake in front of G, who looks at the situation intently and passes out. He's going to a hospital. But the very next day he shows up at the TV studio to thank Ricky and Kate for taking him to the doctor. G even carelessly addresses two women who are currently selling washing balls live in the TV commercial. Now it's up to Ricky to get rid of him. This seems difficult, however, because when Kate shows up, G is asked by Kate to stay with her until the medical reports are ready and show whether G is fine and can continue his pilgrimage. Ricky is of course against it, because he secretly fell in love with Kate and he doesn't like it when G is with her.
At work, things get serious for Ricky, because his boss wants to fire him if the sales figures don't increase within two weeks.
He throws a party, invites influential people so he can win them over for promotional purposes. For the party, Kate shows up with Scott Hawkes, a hardened advertising agent, and when G, who was supposed to be staying in his room, appears among the guests, Ricky inevitably introduces him. G even hypnotizes one of the key guests who is afraid of flying. Here Ricky got the idea that G might be good for TV commercials. G also lets Scott Hawkes' Rolex "disappear" with a party trick, the so-called Rolex disappearance trick , which in turn does not amuse Scott at all. But in a miraculous way he has his watch back on his wrist just as he tries to hold G accountable.
The next day, Ricky learns that the prospect hypnotized at the party had a safe flight home and was able to overcome their fears about the flights. He gets an important advertising contract from him, and now he asks G to work for him and thereby make people happy on TV. G wants to know from Ricky whether it would also be important to him if he appeared in TV commercials. After a moment's hesitation, he admits it is, and in return G simply demands that Ricky go into the ocean in the middle of the day to frolic in the water with him.
G's first day in the TV studio begins. He should bring bowls among the people. But he can't do anything on command and with prescribed texts. So he goes briefly to the next studio, where cosmetic products are sold. A DIY face tightener powered by electricity is being introduced. G intervenes and takes over the show in an amusing way. Now it's the turn of the garden furniture in the next sales stand. G uses the chainsaw to turn things into kindling, and Ricky is furious because he thinks G is trying to sabotage him.
It happens as it had to, the next morning Ricky will be released, if it weren't for Kate, who presented yesterday's caller numbers just in time. The boss must now be convinced that they will manage to make more profit, and they ask and get one last chance.
McBainbridge, chief of the TV station who wants someone strong by his side, is secretly negotiating with Scott Hawkes so that if Ricky and Kate fail, he has someone special by his side. G's sales show, however, hits. Sales are rising, the TV network and G are becoming popular, people love G, and Hawkes doesn't like all of that at all. After all, he wants to be the head of the TV station by all means and does everything in his power to harm others who stand in his way. He feverishly searches for G's identity, but this turns out to be difficult. He even goes so far as to have him searched for with a reward on a wanted poster.
Apparently Hawkes struck gold. He presents G's wife and six children, whom “Saint G” apparently had left. At the press conference, the woman unpacks and tells G to leave her and the children just like that. However, when she sees G who comes to her and hears the scathing questions from the journalists, she feels remorse and clarifies the situation. Hawkes had given her $ 5,000 to lie to the public. Unfortunately, Hawkes is at the press conference, and when the woman identifies him, he has no chance of escaping.
The TV sales show continues and G makes the puppets dance. You can even sell what nobody really wants. People are taken with him and buy everything he offers. McBainbridge likes this and orders Ricky to sign G.
Gradually Kate and Ricky get a remorse because G is being used by them and the TV station; Kate even falls out with Ricky and leaves.
Ricky asks G not to do the show and tells him to go his own way. He tells him the truth about everything, including that he only wanted him on the TV station so that he could make a career himself. Ricky recognized his human side and made sure that G is no longer exploited by the TV station. Since G doesn't want to host the sales show, Ricky has to do so. He even finds the right words to appease the audience and his boss too. Kate, who watched Ricky's love affair on TV, shows up in the TV studio and the two are reconciled.
In the end, G is dropped off at the point where he met Kate and Ricky. The three people say goodbye to each other and G continues on his pilgrimage.
criticism
- film-dienst 11/1999: Harmless comedy that whitewashes tentative approaches to social criticism with a tiring, conventional love story.
Movie songs
- Pearl's Girl - Written By: Richard Smith, Karl Hyde, Darren Emerson, Played By: Underworld
- Money - Written By: Andrew Dorfman, Played By: Andrew Dorfman, Wendy Bremer
- Sparkling Brass - Written By: Malcolm Lockyer, Played By: Malcolm Lockyer
- Running from Jamaica - Written By: Ansel Cridland, Played By: The Meditations
- Lazy Latin - Written By: Malcolm Lockyer, Played By: Malcolm Lockyer
- Manic Position - Written By: Dominic Glynn, Played By: Dominic Glynn
- The Syncopated Clock - Written By: Leroy Anderson
- Oye - Written by: Gloria Estefan, Emilio Estefan jr. Randall Barlow, Angie Chirino, Played By: Gloria Estefan
- Prologue - Written By: Loreena McKennitt, Played By: Loreena McKennitt
- Don't you worry 'bout a thing - Written by: Stevie Wonder, Played by: Stevie Wonder
Web links
- The guru in the Internet Movie Database (English)