Review of Dumb and Dumber (1994) by Harry W — 21 Jan 2015

Featuring Jim Carrey's breakthrough performance, Dumb and Dumber was unmissable to me.

Dumb and Dumber isn't as funny to me now as it once was, and that is because it has so much re-watch value that I have seen it upwards of 20 times. It is clearly one of the greatest comedy movies ever made with so much talent on board which cannot be ignored. What it boils down to is the fact that The Farrelly Brothers have such a high standard for the most ridiculous kind of humour which everyone around them is fully willing to just roll with. Serving as the writers and directors of Dumb and Dumber, they capitalise on the ridiculous nature of the title and ensure that viewers get a complete sense of the extensive ignorance of the main two characters, Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunn. All the emphasis on the film falls on them because surrounding them is another familiar buddy comedy about a road trip involving characters in the wrong place at the wrong time. The amount of plot turns and twists in the film turn out unpredictable because the brand of humour is startlingly creative. Don't get me wrong, it is stupid. But it is the most brilliant sense of stupid that I have seen in cinema for a long time. With the ludicrous story, ridiculous plot twists and coincidences in the writing, Dumb and Dumber turns idiocy into an art form and succeeds as being massively entertaining with a script so full of energy and versatile humour which the cast are able to fully take advantage of.

The type of humour in Dumb and Dumber is perfect, because it ranges from clever quips about language to ridiculous situations and all kinds of sight gags, benefitting from a The Farrelly Brothers' passion for sight gags and slapstick. Dumb and Dumber is a film which has a serious plot but ignores it largely so that it can obsess about creative use of diverse humour. There is no end in sight to the jokes in Dumb and Dumber because they come at the viewer from all different angles which makes the film unexpectedly intelligent despite the film's title. Dumb and Dumber is all about the comedy and is crammed with so many lines that are quotable. For a debut film, Peter and Bobby Farrelly succeed at taking Dumb and Dumber to its maximum heights and being relentless with the humour without trying the make the film anything more than the juvenile feature that it is, and it is both edgy and family friendly in its own ways based on the way that viewers interpret it.But all the success in Dumb and Dumber is predicated on the efforts of the leading actors in the film, Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels.

Jim Carrey's leading performance as Lloyd Christmas is quite frankly one of the greatest comedic performances in the history of cinema. He completely dominates the entire film with so much charisma that it leaks out him every single second. Jim Carrey's dedication to the character is electric to the extent that it has the power to shock comedians all around, and he is simply flawless. He genuinely seems absolutely idiotic in the role with his physical movements flinging him every which way but loose and his line delivery being so dedicated to ignorance that it is hard not to be left crying on the ground with laughter. His performance is of Golden Globe calibre and surely his funniest to date, making Lloyd Christmas his most iconic character. Very rarely are actors given such a stupid role in a comedy and able to perform it so flawlessly that they are likable, sympathetic, hilarious and relentlessly dedicated to the role. Dumb and Dumber is a flawless medium for the talents of Jim Carrey because while many other films may use his comic talents, it is common to see them simply as Jim Carrey in another role. When it comes to Lloyd Christmas, the character is another spawn, an amalgamation of all his comic talents rolled into one with his passion for the script and wit for improvisation. Jim Carrey is impeccable in Dumb and Dumber, easily making the dumber of the two while establishing himself as a smart comedian.

While Jim Carrey overshadows Jeff Daniels' people need to know the history of Jeff Daniels. Well known for his sophisticated performances which netted him two Golden Globe nominations prior to Dumb and Dumber, this film represents a turning point in his career where he dropped everything for one moment and went completely juvenile. The ridiculous change of pace for the actor is masterful. Jim Carrey is more fitting for the film due to his comic nature, but Jeff Daniels has long been an accomplished actor in drama prior to and after Dumb and Dumber. The role is different for him, and he shows off an over the top nature that none could have predicted. Matching him with Jim Carrey is incredible because the two make a flawless on-screen duo with impeccable chemistry, and the gimmick of Jeff Daniels genuinely taking on a role of such a ridiculous nature is incredible. More of his success comes into play for his slapstick passion and hilarious facial expressions, as well as his empty headed line delivery. It is challenging for any actor to hold the screen as well as Jim Carrey when he is as flawless as in Dumb and Dumber, but Jeff Daniels gives it his all and manages to stand up and bring the laughter in. Jeff Daniels is the perfect man to pair with Jim Carrey for Dumb and Dumber, and his performance as Harry Dunne is one that he is still yet to top.

So Dumb and Dumber is one of the most innovative and hilarious comedies ever made, making use of a familiar plot with cleverly implemented jokes which keep the laughs fresh every minute while benefitting from incredible performances from Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels.