Go for Kaufman but stay for Carrey

Rating: 8/10 (9 January 2000)

Man on the Moon: I never liked Andy Kaufman. My most vivid memory of Kaufman was the night he guest starred on "Fridays", got into a screaming match and tried to pick a fight with one of the cast members (broadcast live). There was also the whole wrestling schtick and Tony Clifton (the obnoxious untalented lounge singer). Kaufman went out of his way to push peoples' buttons and lots of people couldn't wait to see what outrage he'd commit next. I frankly couldn't have cared any less. While the film did not change my opinion of Andy Kaufman, it did reinforce my opinion of Jim Carrey's acting abilities.
Carrey does not merely play Kaufman, he becomes him: from his physical appearance to his mannerisms. Carrey displays a depth and energy that goes beyond anything he has done before. I was concerned that he might give an over-the-top performance then realized that given the subject matter that simply wasn't possible. Carrey apparently became so enmeshed with the character that while on set his colleagues addressed him by the names of the different persona he portrayed. If he is not nominated for Best Actor this time around (after having been snubbed for his work in "Truman") I think the Academy will have a riot on their hands.