A True "Pure Comedy"

Rating: 10/10 (12 October 2018)

In an industry that puts out films that follow a strict guideline, that is the industry of Hollywood generally and comedies being no exception, there's a place that very few mainstream comedies can go to that feels right at home, one that doesn't take itself seriously at all, that genuinely lets loose entirely, and which spontaneous momentum isn't being contrived by rigid structure and academic rule. It's very, very dumb...but not so dumb it's just only dumb. It's dumb in a way that's efficient, and there's a very thin line between being just plain mindless random processed stupidity with no actual spirit behind the humor... and controlled chaos. This one is certainly the latter. It isn't trying hard, it isn't awkward. It's smooth and genuine, it's real, and has resonated as a cult classic because of that true genuine nature.
From that very first scene with Jim Carrey at the back of the limo, to the very last bit of footage, it's pure nonstop action and gags and utter silliness with a purpose and liveliness. It never wanders into facile randomness, or never settles for riding its own self-complacency, every scene is fresh and original. Brand new. There's no time to get bored with the humor on display, it keeps coming back with a new angle, a new powerfully idiotic bang.
It manages to actually tell a story, compelling on its own in fact, while being a gag reel all the way through, which is no easy feat technically.
The directing, sound, and editing are superb in creating just the right conditions for the film to be resoundingly moronic and most efficient. It doesn't try hard; instead it knows exactly what it's doing.
Finally: as in the title I call this a "pure comedy", because the entire focus of the whole picture is to make people laugh, entertain wildly through the craft of comedy, while most mainstream comedies are merely "comedies" in form but use that format in order to be a pleasant watch but really have a romantic or drama or moralistic motive and outcome in the end. Dumb and Dumber is comedy through and through, again, from that very first scene in the limo to that very last bit of film, the sole purpose is to make people laugh hard. There's no "hidden agenda" so to speak, it's comedy for the sake of comedy, and arguably, that's all comedy should ever be. A true, 'Pure Comedy', supremely inspired, carefully written, with an excellent spirit and momentum to it, and perfectly conducted from beginning to end.