DETROIT – First of all I can’t believe it’s really been
twenty years since the first, “Dumb and Dumber” came out. I remember seeing the
preview for the first movie in the theater with the song, “Funky Town” playing
in the background and groaning in my chair. I remember thinking that Jim Carrey
really jumped the shark already and his career was barely taking off. I surely
never thought anyone would even go for this dumb kind of comedy. Would you
believe that I actually skipped out from seeing it. It was only until a family member came to
visit did I break down and rent it from our local video store.
But then a really strange thing happened and I ended up
laughing out loud throughout most of it. I mean, I really enjoyed it. In fact,
this particular film really got me over my funk with Jim Carrey and I actually
became a fan of his. It was also my first introduction to the Farrelly Brothers
and their outrageous sense of comedy. They later gave us – “Kingpin”, and “The Three Stooges”.
Whew! The reviews are coming in for, “Dumb and Dumber To” and they are calling this thing one of
the worst things ever committed to film. Myself, I was ready for some more of
that outrageous comedy. After months of zombie movies, talking horror dolls,
and Ouija boards I needed something that was fall down hilarious. I am not even
going to go into the recent wave of goofy survival movies and this maze runner
nonsense. We needed a trip back down to dumb. Dumb it down. Dumb is good.
Why in the world did the Farrelly Brothers wait 20 years to
get another one of these things out? We could have used some prime laughs during
that long break. In the future some film reviewer will write a discourse on the
Farrelly Brothers and classify, “Dumb and Dumber”, “When Harry Met Lloyd”, “The
Three Stooges” (remake) and this latest one, “Dumb and Dumber To” as part of
the same series. Thematically they do have a lot in common. It’s the common
people vs the rich in grandiose characterizations. The plots have interesting
life and death consequences and do have the tendency to get morbidly serious if
only for a moment. The formula has stayed consistent because people can relate
to it. This is the same kind of fodder that existed in the original Three
Stooges comedies. And even then the people at that time didn’t take to them
immediately because they, as my grandmother put it, “tried too hard to be
funny”.
Every generation of comedy has that certain someone that
pushes things too far. Jerry Lewis had that same problem and it time for him to
grow on people. As I said earlier I had the same sort of problem with Jim
Carrey. But seeing these two nitwits on screen was a welcomed relief. The
audience I saw this with seemed to really enjoy it. I saw this on opening
weekend and it was a packed house. The guys sitting behind me a few rows back
couldn’t really keep it together. They busted out loud with laughter and didn’t
even cover their mouths. It seems that people really do like these sort of
comedies and let’s get real here for a second because if you really want to
talk about what is terrible I could go in my review on, “Scary Movie 4”.
I’m not going to ruin the plot for you in this review. There are plenty of
other sites that will do that for you. But the film takes on this epic journey
mentality and that just feels refreshing even if that journey is insane. The
humor is gross and at times sexist and ridiculous but isn’t that what you paid
for? The jokes are delivered here in rapid speed and that works great on film.
This is where it gets interesting. This style of joke delivery also worked
great in, “Anchorman 2: Ron Burgundy – The Legend Continues”. The backdrops
include wide open highways, a road trip, funeral parlors, rich mansions and
these are fantastic places for rapid fire dumb comedy and observations. But
this type of comedy doesn’t work well for me in a TV sit com with only one room
such as ABC’s horrendously awful, “Young & Hungry” or “Cristela”. There the
comedy seems forced and the laughter doesn’t seem deserved due to bad timing.
The premise, I will go into briefly, is that Harry, (played
by Jeff Daniels) needs a kidney transplant. This leads to a search for a long
lost daughter. Jim Carrey has the hots for Harry’s daughter and together they
get wrapped up in a murder plot. There is a cross country road journey that
puts them on course to a science summit in El Paso, Texas. There is more
confrontation of the dumb vs society at this conference called, “The Ken
Conference” which is a parody of the TED culture. Along the journey we are
subjected to insane flashbacks of the past as well as bizarre love influenced
fantasy sequences ala Lloyd, (Jim Carrey). The ending is something you will
have to just experience for yourself but it will be worth it.
The good news is that this movie is laugh out loud funny.
You might second guess the experience once you walk out of the theater. There
is a good chance that your date will not understand you or gain a lower sense
of opinion of you. That being said don’t use this for a date movie. Go see
something friendly and totally off the wall like maybe, “The Maze Runner”. But
if you want something that is flat out hilarious and outrageous go see, “Dumb
and Dumber To”.
My favorite parts are when Harry meets his Chinese step
parents after years of separation. This entire sequence is totally
inappropriate and culturally insensitive but truly funny. It is a guilty
pleasure because it collides head on with the worst multicultural stereotypes.
There is no pause or fast forward button and it is very uncomfortable to watch
– but worth it. Another great moment for me was when Harry meets up with the
legal guardians of his daughter. There is a cell phone sequence that takes
place at the mansion that is straight out of MAD Magazine.
I give this movie three stars out of five. It is not going
to win any awards but then you never know, (Yentl won a Global Globe Award). Oh
and if by chance you ignore all the negative reviews and do check this out for
yourself be on the lookout for the soundtrack in this film. I particularly
liked Franz Ferdinand, “Right Action” which accentuates certain key moments of this film. The team at the
Farrelly Brothers have a great pop sensibility. All those years ago they gave
us the fantastic sounds of Echobelly.
You will like this movie. You will love it if you really
give it a chance.
And my word is my bond. James Bond.
Ted Cantu
HOT METRO FINDS – NOV. 2014
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