Film Noir/Romantic Comedy on Heroin.

Rating: Null/10 (5 January 2004)

There's Something About Mary (1998/Bobby & Peter Farrelly) *** out of ****
The Farrelly Brothers have a reputation for crossing the line in their comedies. They are known for sick humor and making fun of disabilities. I am not a fan of their work, and try to distance myself from their movies as much as possible. But, I was pleasantly surprised with "...Mary", because if you look beyond the gross humor, there is actually a story.
Ted (Ben Stiller, in one of his funniest roles) feels that there is something missing in his life. After seeking therapy and help from his friend (Chris Elliot), Ted seeks Mary (Cameron Diaz), a girl he once knew in High School, who he "almost" took to the prom. Through the help of a sleazy Private Investigator (Matt Dillion), he finds out that Mary now lives in Miami, and tries to see her, but little does he know that he isn't the only one obsessed with her. And pretty soon, we all start to realize, maybe there is something about Mary.
Don't let my complements confuse you. This film has 'Farrelly Brothers' written all over it. This film breaks every possible rule: poking fun at the mentally challenged and victims of Polio, animal cruelty, genitalia, oral sex, masturbation, sperm, and a strange fascination with abnormal teeth. When the film was finished, I was surprised how much I liked it. I don't usually go for comedies, and normally I would not have liked this type of film. But there is something in the characters that is likeable, and if you look beyond all the disgusting humor, you will find a nice little love story. There are also many twist and turns, giving this film a hint of Film Noir. And there's something about how they write the film that makes you laugh at things you don't normally find funny.
I approached this film because of two reasons: The first reason being that I am a huge Ben Stiller fan; and the second being my parent's strong recommendation. I really liked this comedy, and I recommend it to all looking for a great laugh.
-30-