There’s Something About Mary (1998)

Film Title: There’s Something About Mary (1998)

Genre: Comedy / Romance

Director: Bobby Farrelly and Peter Farrelly

Two Most Important Member of the Cast: Cameron Diaz (Mary Jensen) and Ben Stiller (Ted Stroehmann)

Review

[1]This is a story about Mary and Ted. There's something about Mary that still bewitches Ted. Although he hasn't seen her in over a dozen years, since that shameful prom night, his heart still flutters at the recollection of her. He's still crazy about her after all these years and curious as to her whereabouts. He hires private eye, Pat Healy to track her down in Miami at the insistence of his good friend Dom.

[2]According to Vince Leo (2004) in his review of the movie, the film is a package romantic comedy. Amidst the softer story it can still deliver laughs. Further, There’s Something About Mary has proven to be the most satisfying of the Farrellys’ comedies. Like the other films of Farellys’ Brother, Mary is also blessed with good casting and stiller tone setting for a comedic style.

[3]Similarly, the review posted on Celluloid Eyes (2004), suggests that the movie is a prime example of subgenre of romantic comedy. This movie attempts to appeal to stereotypical guys whereas contemporary straightforward romantic comedies attempt to appeal stereotypical women. Lots of gross-out jokes, slightly homophobic humor, humor involving disabilities and sports cameos are the qualities plays up on the film in order to hide the fact that underneath them. In addition, the characters also had all the good comic timing. Generally, the storyline is a sweet love story.

[4]Supporting the reviews made by Celluloid Eyes and Leo, Matthew Doberman (2006) notes that the movie redeems itself by being legitimately funny and surprisingly sweet. There's Something About Mary also merits attention for its less-controversial laughs such as the amusingly absurd musical narrative provided by Jonathan Richman, or Bret Favre's hilarious surprise cameo. Finally, the movie is an excellent comedy that proves the considerable latitude afforded filmmakers in the permissive late 1990s resulted in more than just an inordinate amount of fart jokes.

[5]However, one of the criticisms of the movie according to Marty Mapes is that not all of the jokes are as funny as the best ones since there are jokes which are cruel like laughing at someone else’s misfortune and jokes which are crude like the jokes about masturbation, genitalia and death. In addition, there are also long spells between scenes of chaotic hilarity.

---

[1] Internet. (2006). There's Something About Mary (1998). Yahoo Entertainment. Retrieved November 8, 2006, from http://movies.yahoo.com

[2] Leo, V. (2004). There's Something About Mary (1998). Qwipster Movie Reviews. Retrieved November 8, 2006, from www.qwipster.net

[3] Internet. (2004). There's Something About Mary (1998). Celluloid Eyes. Retrieved November 8, 2006, from http://celluloideyes.com

[4] Doberman, M. (2006). There's Something About Mary Review. Answers.com.Retrieved November 8, 2006, from www.answers.com

[5] Mapes, M. (2006). There's Something about Mary. Movie Habit. Retrieved November 8, 2006,

from www.moviehabit.com