DUMB AND DUMBER
US, 1994, 107 minutes, Colour.
Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels, Lauren Holly, Mike Starr, Charles Rocket, Teri Garr.
Directed by Peter and Bobby Farrelly.
Dumb and Dumber was another step on the sudden rise to fame of Jim Carrey in 1993 and 1994. His rise, in fact, was not overnight because he had appeared in such films as Once Bitten during the 80s. However, with Ace Ventura Pet Detective and The Mask he had audiences laughing uproariously. And it is the same with Dumb and Dumber. It's probably enough to say that it is not as dumb and the trailers might lead one to believe. Carrey does a Jerry Lewis-style impersonation. Jeff Daniels is very good as his dumb friend. And, if you like bodily function jokes, then you're in for a treat! Carrey was to go on to an extraordinarily successful career with such films as Batman Forever and his comedies such as The Truman Show, Man in the Moon, Bruce Almighty.
This film marked the first feature directed by the brothers, Peter and Bobby Farrelly. They then made Kingpin and achieved great commercial success with There's Something About Mary. Other films include Me, Myself and Irene and the much more gentle and humorous Stuck on You.
1. The popularity of Jim Carrey, his films like Ace Ventura Pet Detective and The Mask preceding this film? His subsequent films? The style of his comedy, manic, impersonations, slapstick? Bodily function jokes? The more outrageous humour? His mimicry and his funny lines? Combined here with Jeff Daniels playing dumb? A successful combination for the box office?
2. The work of the Farrelly brothers, their type of humour, zany, with people on the margins? Visual humour, verbal humour, bodily function humour? The sometimes caustic edge of their comedy?
3. The film as a road film, from Rhode Island to Aspen, Colorado? The territory covered? A piece of Americana - comic style? Dumb and Dumber style?
4. The title and its reference to Harry and Lloyd? Who was really dumb and who not? Their dumb characters, behaviour, incidents, decisions?
5. The focus on Lloyd, Jim Carrey's screen presence, the limousine driver, his meeting Mary Swanson, his finding her very attractive? The trip to the airport? His talking to her, her listening, telling the story of his life? Seemingly hopeless? Her leaving her briefcase, his getting it, finding his limousine towed away, his being sacked?
6. Harry, his work as a dog groomer, his van and its looking like a dog? His losing his job? Lloyd's decision to ask Harry to go to Aspen, take the briefcase, his hopes of meeting up with Mary? The irony that the briefcase has the money, ransom money for Mary's husband, his being kidnapped?
7. The background to the kidnapping, the personality of Nicholas Andre, his relationship to the Swansons, their wealth? His thugs, Joe Mental and J.P. Shay, the information about Lloyd and Harry, their pursuing them?
8. The road movie aspects of the film, Lloyd and Harry and their interactions, the dumb and dumber talking? The incident with the trucker, gay, violent? The meeting with the State Trooper? The thugs catching up with them - and the ironic humour of the red hot chilli pepper-eating contest? Joe Mental and his death?
9. Arriving in Aspen, wanting to see Mary, their clash, the briefcase opening, the money? Their decision to spend the money, the suite, the new clothes (and their colours and style), their buying an expensive car? The innate honesty - the IOU notes? Their adventures - and misadventures, especially with Harry and his tongue sticking to the frozen pole?
10. The gala, the Icelandic snow owl, Mary at the Aspen Preservation Society, the Swansons and their role with the society, Andre and his presence? Lloyd and his meeting with Mary, attracted towards her - but Harry finding her, his going out with her? Lloyd and his reaction, the laxative in Harry's drink? The information about the briefcase, Andre and his taking them both? Harry and the result of the laxative, the longest and most vigorous diarrhoea scene in cinema history?
11. Harry, the FBI, the bullet-proof vest? Mary and her going back to her husband? Lloyd and Harry reconciled, on the road again?
12. The overall impact of the humour, the touch of the crass with the touch of the clever?
