Austin Powers

Just the facts (courtesy of the Internet Movie Database).

OK, if I were going to talk about the credits, I'd put them here where I usually do. But the only important credit is Mike Meyers, and maybe Rob Lowe, so if you want to know more about the movie, go look it up.

The film is almost exactly 90 minutes. Thanks Mike. Humor is best when done short.

Any remaining doubts that Mike Meyers was a comedic genius are removed by this film. Alas, the ca-ca jokes reveal that, like most other succesfful practicing comedy writer/directors (think Adam Sandler or Woody Allen) his emotional age is about 14, no matter what his chronological age is.

Frankly, I was embarrassed by some of the sexual innuendo and body-function humor (although Power's plaintive question, "How could you," was pretty funny, as you'll see if you go). I mean, the line was funny. The use of Jerry Springer show excerpts was amusing, Rob Lowe continues to grow as a suave self-parodist, and when Meyers is on the screen as Dr. Evil, the laughs just don't stop.

As with Something About Mary, and for that matter, the first Austin Powers movie, there's nothing explicitly pornographic, and thus the PG-13 rating. But I'm not at all sure this sort of thing isn't contributing to the coarsening of our society. Can't we get yocks and keep the humor "above the belt" as we used to say? I think we can. I'll let you know when I find a movie that agrees.

OK for 14 and up. Funny, with a lot of sexual innuendo. If you like the first film, you'll love this one. Not since Godfather II has a sequel been this much better than the original.

Adam Sandler (shudder). Cover subject in the June 20 San Francisco Chronicle Pink Section (arts) predicting a bright future for him and suggesting his film that opens this week will be a monster hit. God, I hope not.