Dumb and Dumber (1994)

Amazingly, this was the first time I’d seen Dumb And Dumber. The film is absolutely as stupid as it’s title, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad film. In fact, the stupidity is what makes it work, just about. I’m still not sold on Jim Carrey in a comedy role; he’s undoubtedly got his very successful own thing going on, I just often find it irritating. There are exceptions; I think his silly take on the Riddler works effectively in the madness of Batman Forever (1995) and I have a lot of time for Bruce Almighty (2003). He’s certainly not irritating in Dumb And Dumber, but I do prefer Jeff Daniels of the two. Harry and Lloyd are somehow a likeable duo of characters, and I was happy to spend a couple of hours in their presence as they travel on a road trip across America to return a briefcase to a lady that Lloyd falls in love with in the early scenes of the film. Some gangsters, adding another improbable element to an already ridiculous plot, are also after the briefcase, and threaten them the whole way, but it is what it is, and the film is well aware of that. There are some laughs, although it was probably more effective in 1994. Having said that, I think I would happily watch the sequel at some point, but I certainly have my reservations about the third film in the series. 6.4/10