Brilliant stupidity

Rating: 7/10 (3 June 2008)

Some 'dumb' comedies can take idiotic humour and elevate it to another level. This is one of those films.
The story follows Harry (Jeff Daniels) and Lloyd (Jim Carrey) as they trek cross-country, ostensibly to return a briefcase to Mary Swanson (Lauren Holly) but equally motivated by Lloyd's desire to strike up a relationship with her. There is some inventiveness in the situations that the duo get themselves into but the story isn't exactly 'edge of your seat' material.
The movie lives up to its name with the humour stemming from utter stupidity in most cases. Carrey & Daniels are adept at imbuing their characters with a sincerity that makes the idiotic comments they make endearing in a way.
This is perhaps Jim Carrey's finest hour with his comic timing and rubber-faced mugging frequently drawing laughs. Jeff Daniels is a pretty good complement to Carrey's shenanigans though he isn't in the same league as him. The supporting cast is merely alright, with a memorable turn by Mike Starr, who's usually relegated to smaller roles.
There's nothing worth remarking about in terms of direction but I will comment on the music. It's a mish-mash of then-hip alternative songs, featured prominently enough at times to seem like an advertisement for the soundtrack album. Remember Dead Eye Dick's hit "New Age Girl"? Worse than the songs, though, are the (thankfully) brief snippets of a sort of love theme. On the other hand, there's an excellent use of The Cowsill's "The Rain, the Park & Other Things".
This film isn't exactly awards material but it's a pretty pleasant diversion. Beware, though, that I've seen it butchered on television (even though it's actually quite tame), so your best bet is to stick with video/DVD.