“Dumb and Dumberer” (New Line Cinema)
In 1994 Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels became imprinted on the public mind as two goofy imbeciles known as Harry and Lloyd. The vehicle that brought them these personas was a movie titled “Dumb and Dumber.” Now, for some unknown reason, we have a prequel entitled “Dumb and Dumberer,” and it is.
The movie is subtitled “When Harry Met Lloyd” and that is what this prequel is all about. It tells how Harry (Derek Richardson) came to be best friends with Lloyd (Eric Christian Olsen). They are both pretty dumb and the movie plays off the situations their dumbness gets them into. Very little of it is funny; a lot of it is gross; and too much of it is boring.
Richardson makes no impact as Harry. Whereas Jeff Daniels managed to hold his own with Jim Carrey in the original, Richardson is mowed down by the antics of Olsen in the Jim Carrey role. Olsen looks enough like Carrey to be his younger brother and he manages the physical movements which give his character some distinction.
Newcomer Rachel Nichols plays Jessica, the high school student who is suspicious of the “special needs class” which has been set up at her school. Her investigation of the “class” gives the film the little bit of plot it possesses.
Olsen and Richardson are Hollywood newcomers so they can’t be blamed for taking part in this inept comedy. But you do wonder why such stalwarts as Eugene Levy, Cheri Oteri, Mimi Rogers, Julia Duffy and Bob Saget would take part in something as mind dumbing as this.
The movie is rated PG-13 for profanity and gross humor.
“Dumb and Dumberer” will appeal to a certain audience who wants the jokes as dumb and gross as possible. They will laugh out loud over the melted Hershey bar in the pocket humor. But even they might get tired of the repeated slams at people of less than average intelligence.
The movie comes off as mean spirited in a way “Dumb and Dumber” never did. There was an innocence and a naivet to the characters when played by Carrey and Daniels. This time Harry and Lloyd are dumb but not sweetly dumb. They are just bumblers who go through life creating havoc and having a goofy good time. Something the audience does not have.
The only good thing to be said about “Dumb and Dumberer” is it is not as offensive as it could have been. Thank Heaven for small favors!
I scored “Dumb and Dumberer” a clueless 2 out of 10.
