DUMB AND DUMBER TO (PG-13)
Released by Universal Pictures
Review by Adam Mast
It’s been just over twenty years and after a handful of false starts, the movie event of the century is finally upon us. No, I’m not talking about INTERSTELLAR. I’m referring, of course, to DUMB AND DUMBER TO. The most highly anticipated sequel of our age.
Two decades have passed since their first epic adventure, and while Lloyd Christmas (Jim Carrey) and Harry Dunne (Jeff Daniels) are certainly much older, they are no more wiser. Lloyd and Harry’s latest adventure is thrust into motion when Harry discovers he has a daughter. In an effort to find the child he never knew he had, Harry heads out on a road trip with his best friend and along the way, this comical duo get into all sorts of mischief.
I suppose what readers really want to know is, did I laugh during DUMB AND DUMBER TO? The answer is, yes! I laughed pretty hard. Given the large contingent of gross-out gags, off color humor, and dick and fart jokes, I guess that says a lot about my juvenile sense of humor. The truth is though, that writers/directors The Farrelly Brothers and stars Carrey and Daniels keep the energy level up for the majority of the movie. They throw a new joke at you every few seconds and while a lot of the gags fall flat, there are plenty that stick. At nearly two hours long though, the final act of the movie is a bit of a slog.
Carrey is a scream here and his manic, loose-cannon approach suggests a funny man whose been itching to get back to his roots. This is a throwback to Carrey’s early film career and his days as an IN LIVING COLOR player. Daniels is a lot of fun too, granted he doesn’t have an epic “snowball to the face” moment in this picture, but still, it’s a blast watching him go from THE NEWSROOM to something like this. Together, Carrey and Daniels do manage to re-capture the potent and unexpected chemistry that helped carry DUMB AND DUMBER to box-office success in 1994.
As for new cast members, Kathleen Turner is fun as a blast from Lloyd and Harry’s past, while Rob Riggle appears to be having an amusing time as a man out to outsmart our nitwit protagonists. Sadly, cute Rachel Melvin is a blank as Harry’s long lost daughter. She hasn’t the comic timing to pull this role off but then it should also be noted that the character isn’t particularly well written.
As outlandishly funny as things tend to get in this movie, something is amiss in DUMB AND DUMBER TO. And it goes beyond the final act. It’s clear that everyone behind this film is trying hard in the name of fan service; perhaps too hard. There are call backs galore to gags in the first picture and it’s quite obvious that Carrey and Daniels have been dying to dive back into the shoes of these clueless simpletons.
So where does the movie go wrong? The first movie offered up plenty of gross-out gags and off color humor, but there was a strange sweetness to it. What little sweetness DUMB AND DUMBER TO has to offer is trumped by a mean streak. Not that I have a problem with mean spirited comedy. In fact, the Farrellys have always shown a knack for fusing sweetness with the mean spirited. Look no further than their best and most under-appreciated movie, the hilarious Woody Harrelson and Randy Quaid headlined Kingpin. Here though, the balance feels a bit off.
There are plenty of big laughs in DUMB AND DUMBER TO and it’s a joy to watch Carrey and Daniels jump back into these roles with such comical ferocity, but as was the case with ANCHORMAN 2–and most comedy sequels for that matter–this follow-up can’t quite capture the magic of its predecessor. It’s funny while you watch it to be sure, but after it’s over, you’ll be reminded of how much more you enjoyed the original.
