By MICHAEL SMITH Movie Critic on Jun 25, 2007, at 2:25 PM Updated on 6/25 at 2:25 PM
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Perception can be everything in Hollywood.
Perception in 2006: Steve Carell is hilarious, he can open a movie all by himself (“The 40-Year-Old Virgin made $100 million) and “The Office” has doubled its audience since its first season.
Perception in 2007: Steve Carell is still funny, but he’s the star of one of the most expensive turkeys of all time (“Evan Almighty” cost $175 million to make) and he can’t open a film by himself, as “Evan” had an opening weekend of $32 million, less than half of the $68 million that greeted its Jim Carrey-starring predecessor, “Bruce Almighty,” in 2003.
And to boot: This summer’s R-rated comedy hit “Knocked Up” has already made more money than “40-Year-Old Virgin” and has a guy named Seth Rogen as the star. Perception: It wasn’t Carell, but Judd Apatow, the filmmaker who created both movies, who was the most important ingredient.
But let’s face reality. Carell has several upcoming bankable projects, and while the floundering “Evan” cost an almighty sum to make, project investors know it went to the all-wet CGI special effects and not some Mel Gibson-like salary deposited in Carell’s pocket.
So Carell shouldn’t get the lion’s share of the blame for his new film, and if his next effort stiffs at the box office, he can spread the criticism around to some familiar names.
Who stars in next spring’s animated flick “Horton Hears a Who,” you ask? Jim Carrey as Horton, Steve Carell as the Mayor of Who-ville and Seth Rogen as a VIP Who.
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