In Hollywood, the brothers Peter and Bobby Farelly were long known for their dumb jokes and banal obscenities. In their huge success There’s something about Mary they showed a surprising talent for telling a contagiously romantic story, although the growing love between Ben Stiller and Cameron Diaz went hand in hand with sperm and testicle jokes. In Me, Myself and Irene (2000), the Farelly’s work together with Jim Carrey for the second time. The movie proves at least one thing: both parties have grown hugely in his genre since the stupid Dumb & Dumber.
Well, this movie is also full of sick and silly jokes, but the filmmakers have learnt to integrate these more into the movie, whereas Carrey has learnt to use his extraordinary face muscles to fit into the story line, although he stays a comedian instead of a true actor. In Me, Myself and Irene, Carrey plays a man with a split personality, as he did before in The Mask, helped by thousands of special effects. Carrey doesn’t need the technical means anymore, as his changes from a childish policeman into a rough macho are marvelous.
Charlie takes his medication.
Irene: What are those for?
Charlie: Oh! It's just this stupid thing. I have to take a pill every six hours or I feel... funny. No big deal.
Irene: What's it called?
Charlie: Advanced delusionary schizophrenia with involuntary narcissistic rage.
The two opposite personalities are born when Carrey’s character Charlie denies his problems over his marital problems. His wife leaves him for an intelligent black dwarf, but Charlie keeps refusing to see that he is not the biological father of his smart, black children. When his schizophrenia worsens, his superiors decide to send him away for a while as sort of vacation. He gets to escort a girl named Irene, who is a witness in a fraud case in another state. Soon Irene is the center of a serious mob issue with corrupt policemen and shooting gangsters. Of course, Charlie and his macho alter ego Hank are sucked into the problems.
Unfortunately, the insulting gags and the shallow jokes might be hilarious, but still do not add enough to the story. A litter more harshness on their own selves could have helped the Farelly brothers to produce a movie with less loose ends. Next to Carry, the attractive Renée Zellweger plays a decent role as Irene, but has not (for instance) Cameron Diaz’ personality. The 5.9 at IMDB might be too low in my opinion, but Me, Myself and Irene certainly is no top movie. That’s Charlie’s story and I’m sticking to it.
IMDB lists the following actors: