TV
WITH There's Something About Mary, the Farrelly brothers scored a comedy classic that's certain to stand the test of time.
So team them up with an A-list comedy icon in Jim Carrey for the follow-up, and you're bound to produce 116 minutes of movie history, right?
Sadly not. Me, Myself and Irene only goes to show what a high standard the writer/director/producer siblings have set themselves with 'Mary'.
Carrey plays mildmannered Rhode Island State Trooper Charlie Baileygates, a schizophrenic haunted by his evil alter ego Hank.
After being dumped by his wife for their wedding day chauffeur, Charlie becomes the town dupe, ridiculed as a soft touch - the neighbours literally let their dog crap on his lawn.
Pushed to the limit, Charlie is only able to give vent to his feelings through evil Hank, until he meets Irene Waters (Renee Zellweger), a waify temptress who may not be all she seems as the crooked cops on her tail show.
The weak plot has Charlie, now under medication to keep Hank at bay, escorting Irene to another state. Naturally he loses his medication, and keeps flip-flopping between steady Charlie and lustful, offensive Hank.
Carrey's performance - much more The Mask or Dumb and Dumber than The Truman Show or Man On The Moon - is the movie's real saving grace. Some wonderful rubber-faced theatrics and classic put-downs in Hank mode will delight fans of him and tickle most others watching.
That apart, and despite some fine gross gags, Me, Myself and Irene
fails to live up to the standard instantly expected of it given the calibre of those involved.
But at least you don't have to listen to Zellweger attempting a British accent again.
Rating: Eight out of Ten for Carrey fans, Five for the rest of us.
Me, Myself and Irene airs on Sky Premier on Saturday, March 9, at 10pm.
So team them up with an A-list comedy icon in Jim Carrey for the follow-up, and you're bound to produce 116 minutes of movie history, right?
Sadly not. Me, Myself and Irene only goes to show what a high standard the writer/director/producer siblings have set themselves with 'Mary'.
Carrey plays mildmannered Rhode Island State Trooper Charlie Baileygates, a schizophrenic haunted by his evil alter ego Hank.
After being dumped by his wife for their wedding day chauffeur, Charlie becomes the town dupe, ridiculed as a soft touch - the neighbours literally let their dog crap on his lawn.
Pushed to the limit, Charlie is only able to give vent to his feelings through evil Hank, until he meets Irene Waters (Renee Zellweger), a waify temptress who may not be all she seems as the crooked cops on her tail show.
The weak plot has Charlie, now under medication to keep Hank at bay, escorting Irene to another state. Naturally he loses his medication, and keeps flip-flopping between steady Charlie and lustful, offensive Hank.
Carrey's performance - much more The Mask or Dumb and Dumber than The Truman Show or Man On The Moon - is the movie's real saving grace. Some wonderful rubber-faced theatrics and classic put-downs in Hank mode will delight fans of him and tickle most others watching.
That apart, and despite some fine gross gags, Me, Myself and Irene
fails to live up to the standard instantly expected of it given the calibre of those involved.
But at least you don't have to listen to Zellweger attempting a British accent again.
Rating: Eight out of Ten for Carrey fans, Five for the rest of us.
Me, Myself and Irene airs on Sky Premier on Saturday, March 9, at 10pm.
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