There's Something About Mary

Dir: The Farrelly Brothers
Star: Cameron Diaz, Matt Dillon, Ben Stiller, Chris Elliott

I suppose the major surprise is how unfunny this is; you'll already know the main gags i.e. hair-gel, trapped genitals, and dogs. There's also a large amount of humour-free padding between them. Yet, that isn't a particular criticism: once you realise this is NOT going to be a hysterical laff-riot, it's amiable enough. Discount the non-PC humour, and you'll find something that's largely gentle, romantic comedy centred around a private eye, who falls in love with the woman he's supposedly investigating -- as does almost everyone else who meets her. Throw in Jonathan Richman as a balladeer, and the end result is an uncomfortable mix of "lightly amusing" with Beavis & Butthead Do Diaz. Still, you can't argue with the box-office receipts, I suppose.

C-

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