There's Something About Mary
After directing six movies in eight years, Peter and Bobby Farrelly have earned reputations for gross-out, lowbrow humor. One could also argue that their films are creative and bold. Regardless, their first feature, 1994's Dumb & Dumber, got the public's attention.
The Farrelly Tribute to Professional Bowling (a.k.a. Kingpin) was a worthy follow-up in 1996. The summer of 2000 brought Me, Myself, and Irene, a malicious comedy about a police officer with a multiple-personality disorder. Recently, the Farrellys have appeared to lose their edge, delivering such unnoticed fare as Osmosis Jones and Shallow Hal (both 2001 releases). Between Kingpin and Irene, the sibling filmmakers peaked with There's Something About Mary, a clever comedy about lost love, stalkers and hair-gel substitutes.
Ben Stiller stars as Ted Stroehmann, a magazine writer who is still hung up on Mary Jensen (Cameron Diaz) after 13 years. Ted and Mary were set to go to the senior prom, but his "junk" got caught in the zipper before heading out to the dance. A police officer and a fireman tried to pull down the zipper with disastrous results. Before Ted's release from the hospital, Mary's family moved away, and they haven't made contact since.
Ted's friend Dom recommends the services of a private detective, Pat Healey (Matt Dillon). Ted hires Pat to find out where Mary is currently living. The human bloodhound tracks her to Miami and witnesses Mary's beauty and charm firsthand. Pat reports to Ted that Mary is repulsive in every possible way. However, Ted hears from his chiropractor friend that Mary (also a medical doctor) is still as attractive as ever. Now faced with the facts, Ted heads down to Miami to see what hand fate deals him.
Peter and Bobby Farrelly realize that casting plays a major role in making a great comedy. The character Ted is a well-meaning, bumbling goof-up; Ben Stiller is the best candidate for a role like that. Who else but Cameron Diaz could play Mary with such beauty, charm and spunk? No one I can name. Even Matt Dillon is funny in Mary; I haven't been impressed with any of his other performances. Chris Elliot and Lee Evans are also perfect as Dom and Norm (another admirer of Mary). I didn't like Dom or Norm, or even the actors who played them.
Watch for unforgettable scenes such as the following: Ted gets his wiener stuck in his pants zipper in the Jensen bathroom, as mentioned before -- and Mr. and Mrs. Jensen's reactions are as comical as Ted's initial predicament. Also, of course, the hair-gel scene is the most notorious moment in There's Something about Mary.
While most filmmakers are churning out trite excuses for humor, the Farrelly brothers are striving for originality. Mary distinguishes itself as such, becoming one of the most popular comedies in recent years. There's just something about this movie.
Send any comments/ feedback to the author.
Cameron Diaz listing "beer drinking" as an ideal attribute for a man will definitely increase beer intake from that point on.
The romantic subplot is overshadowed by Farrelly Bros. gags, but this is still a gender-friendly film.
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