Hardly an easy watch but fascinating......Carrey is terrific as the complex Kaufman

Rating: 7/10 (27 December 2007)

Andy Kaufman (Jim Carrey) has been an odd duck since childhood. Instead of playing outside, he often put on "shows" indoors, using puppets and his vibrant imagination. Although his father objected to his spending long hours alone, both parents love their son greatly. Now an adult, Andy does stand up comedy in the Long Island area but his routines are often greeted with stony silence, as the audience does not understand his sense of humor. However, a Hollywood agent (Danny Devito) catches Andy's act one night and senses something unique. He signs Andy on as a client and soon Andy appears on SNL, where he lip-synches the "Mighty Mouse" song and gets big laughs. This leads to a stint on a hit sitcom called Taxi, something Andy does not want to do, feeling that "canned laughter" television is the lowest of the low. However, as part of his contract, Andy will get his own television special, among other unusual demands. But, away from the show, Andy participates in bizarre wrestling matches and travels to college campuses where he often insults audiences. Just who does this Andy Kaufman think he is? This is a fascinating film about Kaufman, who was certainly one of the strangest "stars" Hollywood ever encountered. It is very difficult to say, even now, whether he was mentally ill or just highly unusual. In any case, Carrey is magnificent as Kaufman, leaving the audience to wonder if anyone else could have played this role. The supporting cast, too, of DeVito, Courtney Love, and Paul Giamatti is just terrific. The movie's recreation of the 70's and 80's, through costumes, sets, and art direction, is great as well. But, the story, which alternates between high humor, sadness, and outright disgust is as complex as they come, making the flick a difficult watch. However, if you love Carrey or harbored great affection for Kaufman himself, you MUST see this film. It's "look-behind-the-scenes" portrait of an unusual man is fascinating stuff.