June 08, 2023

'Dumb and Dumber'

The Ringer's Bill Simmons and actress Jennifer Lawrence hop in the Shaggin' Wagon with Lloyd and Harry as they rewatch the 1994 classic 'Dumb and Dumber,' starring Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels.

Movie poster

Cast

Jim Carrey as Lloyd Christmas

Jeff Daniels as Harry Dunne

Lauren Holly as Mary Swanson

Mike Starr as Mental

Cam Neely as Seabass

Teri Garr as Helen

Charles Rocket as Nicholas Andre

Harland Williams as State trooper

Karen Duffy as J.P. Shay

Directed by: Peter Farrelly

Written by: Peter Farrelly

Notes

  • Budget: $17 million (40% went to Jim Carrey's $7 million salary). Box office: $247.3 million (4th biggest of the year).
  • Jim Carrey did $706 million in box office in 1994 – first actor ever to have three films go #1 in the same year.
  • Jeff Daniels only made $50K – his agents didn't want to do it; New Line hoped he'd quit.
  • Jim Carrey's chipped tooth was real – he removed the cap he'd had since childhood.
  • The Stanley Hotel (basis for 'The Shining') was used as the Danbury Hotel. Carrey stayed in room 217 and came running out 3 hours later.
  • 'Big Gulps, huh?' – those guys were not actors, just bystanders; Carrey improvised the line.
  • The 'most annoying sound in the world' was improvised by Carrey.
  • First Jim Carrey movie done on The Rewatchables (nearly 300 episodes in).
  • Bill forgot to press record, so the episode has Zoom audio quality.

Categories

Most re-watchable scene
  • Jennifer Lawrence: The limo scene on the way to the airport – 'one of my favorite scenes in history.' The 'I got worms' exchange, the fiery explosion in the back.
  • Bill: When they realize what's in the suitcase – the spending spree, Lamborghini, snow owl benefit ('nice set of hooters you got there').
  • Also: 'So you're telling me there's a chance,' the extra gloves scene, the bathroom/laxative scene, the most annoying sound in the world.
What aged the best?
  • The hair – Jim Carrey's bowl haircut and chipped tooth, Jeff Daniels' crazy shampooed-but-not-dried hair.
  • The Mutt Cutts van/Shaggin' Wagon.
  • The one-liners: 'Aspen, California,' the Monkees fired the Beatles, the John Deere letter.
  • The soundtrack: Crash Test Dummies (their peak), 'New Age Girl,' 'Where I Find My Heaven' by Gigolo Aunts.
Best needle drop

The Crash Test Dummies song during Lloyd and Mary's breakup/sad moment.

Weak link of the movie

The kidnapping plot – Mary mourning her kidnapped husband but then being attracted to Harry. 'The airport is the most surveilled place in the world. It's not a good place for a heist.'

What aged the worst?
  • A Current Affair TV show reference – 'I don't think anybody under 30 knows what A Current Affair is.'
  • The 'Dumb and Dumber' prequel (Dumb and Dumberer).
  • Beck turned down having 'Loser' as the theme because the title hurt his feelings.
Roger Ebert's review

Quote from Rog's review:

Jim Carrey is a true original. The parakeet joke made me laugh so loudly I embarrassed myself.

Bill: 'Wasn't a huge fan. The consensus was mixed reviews, but everybody loved it.'

Over-acting award

Seabass (Cam Neely) – 'the faces, the tobacco' and his expression in the bathroom stall for 'Manly Love.'

Best "that guy"
  • Charles Rocket as Nicholas Andre – SNL backstory, said the F-word on live TV.
  • Harland Williams as the cop who drinks the pee.
Best "heat check" performance
  • Mike Starr as Mental (the bad guy who dies from the peppers) – 'He's only like four scenes.'
  • Teri Garr as the drunk aunt.
Casting what-ifs
  • Steve Martin and Martin Short turned down Lloyd before Carrey became a star.
  • Nicolas Cage was supposed to play Harry, wanted $2 million. Went and did Leaving Las Vegas instead, won the Oscar. 'Big sliding doors.'
  • Jeff Daniels got the part; New Line low-balled him ($50K) hoping he'd quit.
Re-casting couch
  • Jennifer Lawrence: Tim Robbins as Lloyd, herself as Harry.
  • Female version: Jennifer Lawrence as Lloyd, Amy Schumer as Harry.
Half-assed (internet) research
  • Jim Carrey's chipped tooth was real – removed the cap from childhood.
  • Aspen scenes filmed in Breckenridge and Park City; the hotel was the Stanley Hotel (basis for 'The Shining').
  • Carrey stayed in room 217 at the Stanley, came running out 3 hours later, never went back.
  • Carrey refused the alternate ending of getting on the bus with the Hawaiian Tropic Girls.
  • Clint Eastwood told Jeff Daniels the bathroom scene 'happened to him once on a date.'
  • 'Big Gulps, huh?' guys were not actors – just bystanders; Carrey improvised.
Apex Mountain
  • Jim Carrey – yes, after three #1 movies in one year.
  • Jeff Daniels – yes, had Speed and this in the same year.
  • Farrelly Brothers – no, There's Something About Mary is their apex.
  • Snow owls.
Picking nits
  • The kidnapping plot doesn't make sense – Mary drops the suitcase before getting on the flight.
  • How much money was in the suitcase? (Bill guesses $500K, Jennifer guesses $125K.)
Would this movie be better with...?

Bill: Kathryn Hahn – 'she could have been part of Mary's family.'

(Probably) unanswerable questions
  • Is spilling salt really bad luck? Both now believe it because of this movie.
  • How much money was actually in the suitcase?
What memorabilia would you want (or not want!) from the movie?
  • Jennifer Lawrence: The Shaggin' Wagon; or the book 'Of Course You're Angry.'
  • Bill: The 'Casino' watch (fake Casio), Seabass's hat, or the Mutt Cutts bus.
Best (or worst!) life lessons from the movie

Jennifer Lawrence: 'Take opportunities as they come' (missing the Hawaiian Tropic bus).

Just one Oscar, who gets it?

Jim Carrey – unanimous.

Who won the movie?

Jennifer Lawrence initially says Jim Carrey, then changes to Jeff Daniels: 'You need the straight man too. So I'm going to say Jeff Daniels.'

Producer review

Craig Horlbeck: 'I'm genuinely shocked how well this movie holds up. It shouldn't hold up as good as it does, but it does.'