It is difficult to think of Jim Carrey being a relatively unknown movie actor, yet despite a few parts in films during the 1980s, he largely flew under the radar with moviegoers until 1994. It would take a trio of movies in the same year to help him really hit the big time, and then from there the rest is history.
The first of these transformative movies was Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, released in February ‘94, while the second was The Mask, released in July ‘94. As for the third, that was Dumb and Dumber which made its debut in December ‘94.
Directed by Peter Farrelly and starring Carrey along side Jeff Daniels, Lauren Holly, and Mike Starr, Dumb and Dumber is a comedy road movie about two well-meaning, but eternally stupid friends named Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunne. In the movie, Lloyd and Harry embark on a road trip, which tests their friendship and puts their lives in danger.
In the film, Lloyd is a limousine driver who immediately falls in love with his latest client, Mary Swanson. But after dropping Mary at the airport, Lloyd discovers she has left her briefcase in the terminal before she boards her flight, and he becomes concerned.
Convincing his best friend Harry to help him return the case to Mary, the pair set off on a road trip. The only problem is, Mary isn’t missing the case – she left it at the airport on purpose.
Mary’s husband has been kidnapped and the case contains ransom money. It was meant to be picked up by the kidnappers, but now it is in the possession of Lloyd and Harry.
As Lloyd and Harry embark on their journey, they are pursued by the kidnappers. But will they make it to Mary in one piece and will they remain friends after a troublesome drive?
At the top of this review I mentioned a trio of movies in relation to actor Jim Carrey. This trio of films is important, because all three came out in 1994, and all helped push Jim Carrey into the super star he would become.
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective demonstrated what Carrey could do as a comedic actor, while showcasing his improvisation skills. Meanwhile, The Mask allowed Carrey to tone done his over-the-top persona in places, while still maintaining the laughs with his hilarious antics.
As for Dumb and Dumber, this movie allowed Carrey to work as part of a double act and demonstrated he could share the limelight. And it’s here where Dumb and Dumber is at its best, because while this was a key movie for Jim Carrey in terms of his growth as an actor, Dumb and Dumber is very much a double-act with Carrey playing off of co-star Jeff Daniels, and vice-versa.
Putting the two together was a masterstroke. Daniels keeps Carrey from going off the rails, while Carrey brings out the comedic chops in Daniels, and both work well under director Peter Farrelly.
The pair share great chemistry, which sells their on-screen friendship and gives them the opportunity to delve deep into the slapstick comedy. Both actors manage to match each other scene for scene, and this keeps the chuckles pretty high.
Highlights of Dumb and Dumber include a sing-a-long in Harry’s van, an abrupt death involving a burger and rat poison, and an unfortunate incident with a ski lift. Then there’s a dead bird, an altercation with some rednecks, a case of diarrhoea, and the sight of Lloyd and Harry in possibly the most garish suits on the planet.
A great deal of the comedy in the film is designed to gross out the audience, with bodily fluids used to sell the humour, but Dumb and Dumber is also packed with plenty of great lines too. The pure stupidity of Lloyd and Harry is always at the forefront of the film, and the dialogue continuously reflects this.
Yes, Dumb and Dumber wants the audience to laugh at Harry encountering toilet troubles, or a traffic cop drinking pee from a bottle of beer, but it also knows the importance of chucking out plenty of zingers too. Some of the film’s quick laughs come from Lloyd and Harry saying moronic things, and this ensures the movie is not just built around set pieces.
The comedy hit rate of Dumb and Dumber is so high it barely lets up. This made it a winner back in 1994, and continues to keep it going strong all these years on.
The humour doesn’t rely on topical gags, which would age the film, but instead goes for slapstick sequence which keeps the laughter coming. This is then backed up by great performances by Carrey and Daniels, and a sharp script which doesn’t miss a trick.
Should you wish to revisit Dumb and Dumber for a few laughs, the film is currently available on DVD and digital.
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