There is more to the surface than meets the eye.

Rating: 6/10 (25 January 2000)

Warning small spoiler....
This movie is about what you should expect from the Farrelly brothers. Crude and juvenile humor based on bodily functions yet at the same time a subtext of sophisticated cultural references and fleeting brushes with true drama. Woody Harrelson and Bill Murray are excellent as two feuding professional bowlers. Roy Munson(Harrelson) is a small town hero who's ticket to fame ends when he loses his bowling hand due to the Ernie McCracken(Murray). Bitter and resentful Munson lives a sad and pathetic life in exile. Harrelson plays the role of Munson to painful perfection with his pitiful comb over and reliance on booze to get him through the day. "I only get sick when I don't drink.", Munson says to Ishmael(Randy Quaid), the Amish bowling phenomenon in whom he places his hopes of redemption. Along the way to Reno and the bowling championship Roy and Ishmael pick up Claudia(Vanessa Angel). In spite of her obvious beauty Claudia isn't any better off than the wretched Roy. These three losers reluctantly rely on each other to attain their own idea of redemption. Ultimately this is a story about the characters struggle with failure and their ability to forgive themselves and move on. The most poignant scene of the move comes when Roy returns to his home town in Iowa. When he returns he finds the town's fortunes haven't been any better than his own. Set to the haunting Freedy Johnston song This Perfect World this scene would be at home in any respectable drama. As Roy drives through the town his memory returns to the town of his childhood only to dissolve back to it's current desolate state. In spite of all the laughs and gags this is the scene that resonates. The laughs are present in abundance but don't let that fool you; there is more to this move than that, if you want to see it.