There’s Something About Mary
★★★★
The sign of a great comedy is not just one that makes you laugh in the moment, but one that seeps into your inside jokes and reference points with your friends. Though it had been a while since I had seen There's Something About Mary, I was struck by how quotable and memorable this film is. Other comedies like the Austin Powers franchise wore out their welcome, but no matter how many times you've seen the zipper or hair gel scene, it makes you both shake your head and crack up at the same time.
The casting is what really makes this film come to life. The pratfalls wouldn't have the same effect without Ben Stiller's commitment. Cameron Diaz is perfect as the girl next door that every guy wants to be with. Matt Dillon is the perfect sleaze ball with the ridiculous, creepy smile. The genius of Chris Elliott's performance grows as his love blisters get worse and worse. All the characters play their roles perfectly and if the end credits are any indication, you can tell that everyone is having a lot of fun.
As much as I grew up loving Peter and Bobby Farrelly's films (Dumb and Dumber, Kingpin) there is always a cheapness to their movies that gives me some pause of claiming them as acclaimed comedic filmmakers. As fun as the zipper scene is, it's shot with the imagination of a SNL skit and their choice of music is questionable at best (the addition of the musical narrators in this film just doesn't work). But they are always daring to explore areas and jokes that others don't dare to go. Not everyone can pull it off and not all their films ultimately did. There is an intelligence and slickness to this plot that creates some genuine shocks and surprises (with an unforgettable cameo) which the Farrelly brothers weren't able to replicate again. There's Something About Mary is a rare case where all the jokes, crudeness, performances and dare I say it, romance, culminated in a perfect way to create a comedy that is unforgettable in all the right and wrong ways.
