Suck me sideways

Rating: Null/10 (24 February 2007)

I'd find it hard to trust someone who wasn't the slightest bit amused by Dumb and Dumber. After all, what kind of person doesn't laugh at a man firing hot waves of watery excrement out of his horrorstruck anus, or at a blind boy stroking a decapitated bird, or at an owl being shot by a cork? These are all things that should appeal to any right-minded individual  it's comedy at its basest, but the funny bone should never be concerned with good taste.
Of all the gags and silly lines in Dumber and Dumber, my favourite moment actually involves attempted male rape (always a prime source for comedy!). The moment I'm talking about is when Sea Bass very nearly forces himself on one of our heroes. But one of the things I love most about the scene is Lloyd's fascination when reading the message on the toilet wall. 'For manly love be here March 25th at 2:15am sharp' it reads. Lloyd looks amused, even a little bit curious, but then as he consults his watch you hear a 'Wah-wah' on the soundtrack, which translates into 'you're about to get buggered' and the smile on his face vanishes. Wonderful stuff.
But the character of Sea Bass himself is just bloody hilarious (even if he only has two scenes and hardly says anything). I could easily watch an entire film devoted to him and his sour-faced, bad tempered homosexual antics. But as it stands we only get him spitting into a burger and him trying to molest someone. But that's enough, I guess. However, there is another great Sea Bass moment. Just watch Sea Bass when Lloyd and Harry are trying to scam him. The way he points to himself and his 'boys' never fails to crack me up.
Another supporting character rich in comedy is Mental the gangster. He has quite a few amusing moments, but the best one by quite some margin is when his phone conversation in a phone booth is interrupted by some bespectacled nitwit. The man is so geeky and so annoying that the punch that comes thundering through the glass not only induces laughs but also elicits cheers  you can't help but like this bloke. However, as likable as this mentalist is, die he must. And his death scene includes some of Carey's and Daniels' best acting. Just look at them when they spike Mental's burger. They're like kids  they can't suppress their mirth.
Speaking of acting, it's not a surprise that Carey is so good at acting dumb, but it's something of a minor revelation that Daniels is so good at comedy. After all, before this, he was known for more serious roles. But here Daniels' allows his IQ to plummet and he more than holds his own with his more experienced counterpart.
One of the most enjoyable things about Dumb and Dumber is how petty and bad tempered the two friends are ('You are one pathetic loserno offence')  some of the best scenes are the ones where they argue like school kids. A great scene happens near the end  Lloyd and Harry are arguing over Mary. They no longer want to be friends and Harry asks him where he has to sign. 'Right on my ass after you kiss it!' And I can't help but crack up at Lloyd's shooting fantasy when he sees Mary's husband. Both characters are borderline psychotic, which only makes the film even funnier.
I also like how relentlessly horny Lloyd is. Just take the scene when he first meets Mary. The quasi-romantic music and the way Lloyd grabs his heart when Mary walks back into her house are bloody hilarious, as is the 'Goodbye, my love!' moment at the airport (also note Lloyd's reaction when he hugs his 'love'  the groan as he relaxes his body is disturbingly sexual). And I've also just remembered the 'Be strong' moment and the little sobbing sound he makes (man this film is funny!). But just as good as this is Lloyd's daydream as he drives. The way he sneaks a look at Mary's butt is priceless (and what a butt it is, too!). And then the schmoozing at his dinner party (if only lighted farts really did impress people at 'sophisticated' parties) and the fight at the restaurant. But although the fisticuffs are brilliant, there's a much smaller and funnier moment in this scene  note the way the waiter chucks Lloyd's plate onto the table and the way he carefully places Mary's; who says the film isn't subtle?
But even though there are one or two gags which can rightly be declared as subtle, they kind of pale in comparison to the instances of bad taste. Just take the officer drinking his own urine ('give me the booze you pumpkin pie haircutted freak!') or Harry crapping his brains out. These are the showcase moments. But as good as these are, what keeps me coming back are the little things  Lloyd trying to buy a copy of 'Rhode Island Slut', Lloyd gagging when he sees his best friend hanging out with his 'girl', the 'big gulps' moment, the look on Harry's face when he finds out that his best friend has been wearing extra gloves and Lloyd burping in utter contempt when he gets stuck next to an insufferable woman at a bar. As dumb as the characters are, there's far too much great comedy for it to be written off as a dumb film  you've got to be smart to make stupidity as funny as it is here.