Not so pleased to ‘Meet Dave’

‘Meet Dave’
Director: Brian Robbins
Cast: Eddie Murphy, Elizabeth Banks
Rating: PG-13

REVIEW. “Meet Dave.” Or don’t. Eddie Murphy doesn’t particularly seem to care one way or the other.

Essentially phoning in the broad, family friendly shtick that has become his trademark over the past decade, Murphy stars as both a human-sized spaceship that has landed on Earth and its itty-bitty captain, who is at the controls from inside the ship’s head.

It’s a high-concept premise from screenwriters Rob Greenberg (“Frasier”) and Bill Corbett (“Mystery Science Theater 3000”), but the execution is mostly lowbrow. Director Brian Robbins, whose “Norbit” with Murphy last year looks like a bold slice of comic genius by comparison, runs through a variety of bland fish-out-of-water scenarios in workmanlike fashion.

Dave, as the spaceship awkwardly names himself once he figures out how to speak, must navigate the streets of New York as part of his plan to drain Earth of all its water and bring the salt back to his own planet. This requires him to hail cabs, go clothes shopping (in what amounts to a shameless ad for Old Navy) and eventually enter a hot dog eating contest —which leads to the obligatory bathroom gag afterward.

But while everyone thinks Dave is kind of a weirdo for the stiff, halting way he moves and talks, Gina’s young son, Josh (Austyn Lynd Myers), sees the potential for good in him from the start. Likewise, kids in the audience will enjoy watching Murphy walk in herky-jerky style down the street and giggle at the physicality of his many misadventures.

Sure, they’ll have fun. But they deserve better.