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Dumb and Dumber Movie Review

Dumb and Dumber is a 1994 buddy comedy film directed by Peter Farrelly and starring Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels. It is a very funny, albeit overly juvenile movie.

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“Who are these sick people?“

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Two good-hearted but incredibly stupid friends stumble upon a briefcase. Unknown to them, it contains money that is intended for abductors with connections to the mob. They set out to return the briefcase to the girl who left it behind. This is an iconic 90s comedy that is regarded as one of the decade’s best. It was also a huge box office hit that spawned an entire franchise.

The humor here is actually quite good, though definitely childish to an annoying degree at times. The scatological jokes did not work for me as I usually find toilet humor repulsive, but some of the other humorous moments definitely worked, especially the more elaborate schemes that the two pull off. Their interactions with these mobsters were particularly entertaining.

Jim Carrey as an actor is annoying to me. He is way too over-the-top and frustratingly idiotic in his facial expressions, but at least he fits the role like a glove. This is the kind of cartoony movie and a buffoonish protagonist that fits Carrey’s acting style and he was perfectly cast. In fact, it’s a rare comedic movie of his that I ended up enjoying despite me not liking him all that much.

But I preferred Jeff Daniels nonetheless. He was phenomenal here and superbly believable in a very odd role where he went against typecasting. Surprisingly, he delivered an outstanding performance not just in facial expressions, but also in genuinely excellent comedic timing.

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The dynamic between the two is hilarious and interesting as you never really know who really is the dumber one. They go back and forth with their stupidity to the point where you cannot really decide who is more stupid. Their chemistry is fantastic and you can really believe that they are best friends. The film is particularly effective at the more emotional moments where the two actually state something that is smart and meaningful, for example wanting to have a romantic relationship.

Speaking of romance, Lauren Holly is wonderful as the good-looking, charming love interest. All of the scenes between her and the two idiots are great. What is especially worthy of praise is the filmmakers’ decision to not give the two a girl at the end as she is already married. The basic premise with the ransom really worked within the comedic context while the finale was hilarious and by far the best gag in the whole flick.

Peter Farrelly directed the movie well. Dumb and Dumber flows well, it is highly entertaining from start to finish and it also never lags. For a comedy, brisk pacing is important and here it was very strong. Some of the set pieces are fantastic as well. The movie is rather straightforward, but competent in most of its technical aspects. It is really a live-action cartoon for better and for worse, but its heart is in the right place, so it’s difficult not to like it.

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