Dumb & Dumber Review

Starting your career with Dumb & Dumber sets an awfully high standard. Amazingly, the Farrelly Brothers have managed to keep their career going with some classic comedies, even if they never conquered the brilliance of Dumber.

Jim Carrey is at his comedic best, saddled with Jeff Daniels as his partner in stupidity. These two incredibly loveable dolts end up on a cross-country adventure, despite not having a complete brain between them. Their quest to return a briefcase to a woman Carrey has fallen in love with manages to get them involved with organized crime, the FBI, and the Swedish Bikini Team… without ever realizing it.

What’s so incredible about Dumber is how Daniels, not known for his zany comedy, is so adept at matching up with Carrey. Every time Carrey goes off-the-wall, Daniels is right behind him with something equally as crazy. The infamous toilet scene is enough to make his entire performance worthwhile.

Yes, Dumber does rely on some lowbrow humor for its laughs, but also features some razor sharp writing that takes a few listens to ensure you’ve heard it right. Harry (Daniels) and Lloyd (Carrey) are so sure they’re correct, the lines come off as natural. This movie truly makes you wonder if it’s salmon that swarm Capistrano.

In time, Dumber should be recognized as one of the great comedies, right up near the top of whatever list the AFI puts together. To ignore it would be criminal. The two leads here deserve at least that for creating two memorable morons that stick with you long after the film is over. This is a true classic of the genre. [xrr rating=5/5 label=Movie]

What is it with ‘90s movies and Blu-ray? Do studios hate this era, or is it something to do with the film stock? Dumb & Dumber is another casualty in hi-def, one out of too many to count.

The transfer is soft, with noticeable artifacting in the first shot. While grain is left intact, detail is non-existent. A few brief moments during close-ups manage to look mildly like hi-def, but more like a 720p cable broadcast. Some light edge enhancement is visible, and flesh tones waver between pink and orange without ever settling down. Black levels fail to create depth despite remaining strong. [xrr rating=2/5 label=Video]

There’s not much here for this TrueHD track to excel with. The stereo channels have minor uses, such as doors shutting. There’s a brief notable moment of surround use when the crowd claps during the preservation dinner. The soundtrack doesn’t bleed into the rears at all. Dialogue remains crisp and clear however, providing something notable. [xrr rating=3/5 label=Audio]

Extras carry over from the DVD edition. The version of the film on the disc is the longer unrated cut with some extra penis jokes and a few more gross outs. The theatrical cut is not included. Still Dumb After All These Years is an okay making of at 18 minutes, but is padded with film footage. Ten deleted scenes include two alternate endings, neither of which are anywhere near the one included in the film. Finally, a series of four featurettes that were hidden on the DVD are in plain view here, including a funny one on the toilet sequence. [xrr rating=2/5 label=Extras]