If You "Got" Kaufman You'll "Get" This

Rating: 9/10 (25 November 2000)

Forman's second straight bio~pic works better than his last ("The People vs. Larry Flynt," which was good but more flawed).
I followed Andy Kaufman's career from its meager beginnings (actually saw that Fridays episode live, as well as all of his SNL perormances, most of that woman~wrestling phase, the Lawler match & Letterman interview, etc.) thru the shock of stumbling across his surprise obit.
Like many others, I thought that it too was yet another in a series of the serio~comic's brilliant geneology of gags.
Of course we were wrong.
But I always felt that I "got" his brand of humour, his "winking at us" eye. Then again, I'm among the few I know who also "get" Dennis Miller. Or moviejuice.com's genius, Mark Ramsey.
And while I more often than not find box-office heavyweight Jim Carrey annoying (has everyone forgotten his early career? Once Bitten?) he really delivers here. As he did in '98's The Truman Show.
Within the first five minutes of his excellent opening "monologue from the grave," I completely forgot I was watching Carrey and began recalling favorite Kaufman moments, all of which are covered here.
Most bio~pics feature good and occasionally great impersonations. This is neither. I mean Carrey IS Kaufman.
He's got the look (on and off-camera), the voice(s), the very essence of Andy... the non-comedian.
Paul Giamatti finally gets a meatier role as Kaufman's partner/co-writer/co-experiencer Bob Zmuda and is fine. Courtney Love ~ a new Forman staple? ~ is good as the love interest. DeVito's a stabilizing factor as Andy's agent.
And Forman pulls it all together with style, perception and above all, dignity.
Couple of questions:
Why bring the "Taxi" cast back together for this? So that we can see them 30 years later? Jeez, these guys & gals look AWFUL. Co-star DeVito's wife Rhea even avoided this project.
And if Milos Forman could pull the "Taxi" folks in, why couldn't he talk Michael Richards ("Fridays," "Seinfeld" and his self-named TV show which appears to be headed for 6-week termination) into doing this? Norm MacDonald's terrific, but he's no Michael Richards.
Kinda cool to see "Newhart" regular Peter Bonerz (Jerry, "The dentist who was less funny than Bill Daly") as Ed. (period) Weinberger.
Pleasant inside joke.
HEY MILOS: DO SAM KINISON NEXT! NOW *THERE'S* A STORY.
9/10 Niro~Stars