Fun with Dick and Jane
Review by Clint Morris
Sometimes when you shoot - you score. Then other times, like
your fingers are awash in WD-40 lube, you drop the ball, and
fail desolately.
Or you do get a shot-off, but fail to come anywhere in the
environs of the projected goal.
Jim Carrey has had quite a few slam-dunks in his career,
but a few near misses too. Fun with Dick and Jane is
a languid Carrey aiming for a spot on the C-grade team.
Seemingly content with his average play, he runs with a slipshod
almost non-existent script, resulting in nothing but an echoing
whimper from the spectator stand.
In Fun with Dick and Jane, Carrey and Tea Leoni play
a couple who have hit rock bottom. When his company closes
it’s doors and leaves him high and dry, they’re
suddenly faced with the realisation they mightn’t be
able to afford their electricity bill, let alone make mortgage
repayments, this month.
Solution? A couple of balaclavas, a water pistol, and a fast
and zippy getaway car - yep, they turn to robbing stores.
It’s sardonic that the best Jim Carrey movies of late
have been dramas - like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless
Mind, which though beloved by critics, did little at the
box office - especially when folks seem to prefer paying to
see him in anything but.
Granted, as the man got his break in comedy, and most know
him best for the funny faces he pulls, it’s in the funny
stuff he’ll probably forever remain.
Of course, it doesn’t help his cause to further himself
as an artist when most Carrey comedies make more money than
the candy bar at any local theatre chain on their opening
weekend (and that’s saying something). He may never get
to delve too deep into the art, but while he keeps returning
for more laugh-ins like these, he’ll always hear the
comforting jingle of coins in his pockets. ‘Money Talks’
is a motto that’ll never go out of fashion...
Most Carrey comedies are good value. From the early hits
Ace Ventura Pet Detective and Dumb and Dumber
to more recent efforts like Liar Liar and Bruce
Almighty - he has proved he’s one of the best, and
most admired, in the game.
He always wins us over with his hyper performances and unrestrained
physical comedy, and he’s no less restrained in the remake
of the George Segal/Jane Fonda flick Fun with Dick and
Jane, but why, oh why, remake that? It wasn’t that
much chop the first time ‘round! And regrettably, he
is definitely a lot less funny for it. Blame that on the series
of unremarkable sitcom-esque gags that have been stitched
together in place of a script (since Carrey retains a producer
credit on the movie, you’d think he might have picked
up on that).
Granted, there are a couple of bright moments in the film,
and with Carrey on board proceedings never get dull. The cracks
at some big-time movers and shakers - especially the Enron
gag - are well done, and there’s a cheery finale, which
should satisfy viewers.
But at the end of the day, this is a vanilla effort for the
usually more flavoursome Carrey. Maybe instead of spending
so much time with the bean counters in the coming months,
the studio can spend some time writing him something decent
to do next?
2.5 out of 5
Fun with Dick and Jane
Australian release: Thursday the 26th of December, 2005.
Cast: Jim Carrey, Tea Leoni, Alec Baldwin, Richard Jenkins,
Richard Burgi, Angie Harmon, Jeff Garlin.
Director: Dean Parisot.
Website: Click
here.
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