DUMB AND DUMBER TO

2015 / Director. Peter Farrelly. Bobby Farrelly.
Review by Glenn Cochrane.

I regret not seeing DUMB AND DUMBER TO at the cinema. Life got in the way and I missed its run. Having a full audience to laugh with would have made a difference... but such is life. I waited for the home entertainment release and enjoyed it in the comfort of my home with my family of lowbrow specialists. 20 years have passed since we last saw Harry and Lloyd on our screens (the REAL Harry & Lloyd, that is) and it's a welcome return. In fact it's a hilarious delight and it has been worth the wait. The premise and formula is more or less a re-tread of the original film, however, it is not a mash up of recycled gags. It could have easily recreated famous lines and sight gags but it chose to continue the frivolity with a whole bag of new ones. Aside from a few fleeting moments of familiarity (Lloyd's breath freshener for example) it is the sequel fans were hoping for. Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels have stepped back into the roles as though no time had passed at all. They've hardly aged a day and their chemistry is as strong as ever. Daniels is the same loveable Harry with a heart of gold, whereas Carrey's portrayal of Lloyd has changed quite drastically. He has become a mean spirited and antagonistic asshole, and he takes the movie into a much darker place. It is not the family-friendly comedy of the first one and it ventures into that adult-oriented comedy-world that the Farrelly's so brilliantly exploit. I really enjoyed the edgier comedy and felt that the franchise has aged accordingly with its audience (I resist the term 'matured'). The film did suffer from an unnecessarily long running time and could have done with 15-20 minutes left out but it is nevertheless a stunning sequel to an impeccable film. The Farrelly Brothers have made a sensational return to form after a string of very average movies and fans may forgive them for crap like THE THREE STOOGES if they ride this pony for another few projects. 

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