No, it's not the funniest movie of the decade--but still pretty hilarious

Rating: 8/10 (12 May 2000)

Generally speaking, gross-out comedy doesn't have much appeal to me, so I didn't expect to like "There's Something About Mary." Having seen it, though, I have to say that there really is something about "There's Something About Mary." There were a few scenes that I think went a bit too far in the gross-out department (no need, really, for the close-up in the penis-stuck-in-the-zipper scene, or for the fish-hook through the lip; I also thought the masturbation/semen-as-hair-gel thing was superfluous and not all that funny). However, there was a lot more to this movie than gross-out jokes. I thought much of the dialogue was actually quite smart, and the wacky humor was deliciously unpredictable -- for instance, the episode where Pat, the sleazy detective played by Matt Dillon, gives Ted (Ben Stiller) the false report on Mary in order to get Ted to lose interest in getting together with her; the hitchhiker with the "six-minute abs" pitch; Pat telling Mary he loves "working with retards"; the cell-phone conversation Pat intends for Mary to overhear. The scenes with Puffy the dog were hilarious too, and I usually CRINGE at any suggestion of cruelty to animals! I rather liked the plot twists, especially the one involving Mary's friend Tucker (brilliantly played by the British comedian Lee Evans). And guess what, I thought there was something very sweet about the romance in "Mary." Ben Stiller creates a believable and (despite his many faults) ultimately sympathetic character. And as Mary, Cameron Diaz projects an irresistible mix of naivete, good-heartedness, and spirit. So what if it's not very plausible that she would be a successful surgeon? This is an eccentric comedy, not a serious drama. (To me, Cameron Diaz as a surgeon is much more plausible than Julia Roberts as a hooker.) The film actually makes you care about these people -- in addition to making you laugh.