I first saw this film just over a year ago. I was in hysterics. Watching it again yesterday, I was reminded why. The script is hilarious, the humour is original and the performances are great. This truly is a masterpiece, from director Peter Farell.
The film is mainly brought to life, however, by the beauty of Cameron Diaz and the excellence of Ben Stiller both of whom perform faultlessly.
There are many comedies that will make me laugh, but I find few worth watching again. This is an exception. Ben Stiller plays a character who is in love with a girl, Mary (Cameron Diaz) he hasn’t seen in thirteen years. Thanks to a friend’s suggestion, he hires a private investigator (Matt Dillon) to track her down, who also falls in love with Mary. So, he then decides to move to Miami to find her himself...
The film does contain comedy that some may find offensive, but most will find entertaining. The humour is not too obvious, yet not too subtle.
’There’s something about Mary’ is brilliantly cast, perhaps with the exception of the english Lee Evans as the architect/pizza boy (who, incidentally, is also deep in love with Mary). His performance is still good, but his american accent is transparent and he is not right for the part. Besides, it may be just me but I have always thought Lee Evans should just limit himself to stand-up comedy.
Matt Dillon, however, is excellent as the scheming private investigator, delivering a faultless and believable performance, and working well together with Diaz. Phil Hartman also delivers a fine performance as Woogie.
This is one of those comedies you won’t want to end, one of the one’s that after seeing it will automatically spring to mind as soon as the word comedy is mentioned. A comedic landmark as it were.
Even the soundtrack to the film is memorable, especially the main theme ’There’s something about Mary’. In fact, every now and then during the film, seemingly out of nowhere appears a band who sing a couple of lines of a song and then disappear again. Strange, but effective.
For anyone who has seen this film and enjoyed it, I would recommend ’A lifeless ordinary’, also with Diaz as well as Ewan McGregor. However, if you have not yet seen this and are looking for an uplifting, light-hearted comedy, watch it. Pure brilliance.