Me, Myself and Irene Review
By Joe Lozito
There's Something about Carrey
"Me, Myself and Irene" starts off promisingly as we follow the circumstances that lead a fairly normal, extra-nice schlub like Charlie Baileygates (Jim Carrey) to develop a split-personality, in the form of the rude, egomaniacal Hank (also Jim Carrey). When Hank finally unleashes Charlie's years of pent of frustration (in a fit of facial contortions perfectly choreographed by Mr. Carrey) the movie really shines. The Farrelly Brothers are perfect for this brand of comic vengeance.
Unfortunately, unlike "There's Something about Mary", which threw in multiple plot turns to keep the comic hope alive, the Farrelly's send Charlie/Hank on a familiar road trip with a young would-be firecracker named Irene (a weak Renee Zellweger), the details of which are unimportant at best. The Farrelly's already did a far superior road movie with 1994's "Dumb and Dumber" - also starring Mr. Carrey. "Irene" plays more like a worn out buddy movie/love triangle with the added twist of having two sides of the triangle being the same guy.
Mr. Carrey is certainly a maniacal comic genius, but even he has trouble stretching out this one joke routine. The perfect Jim Carrey vehicle may still be 1997's wonderful "Liar, Liar" which used a more fairytale-ish premise to achieve the same results: Mr. Carrey fighting with himself. Unfortunately, the Farrellys have made Hank such as utter jerk that it's hard to like him at all, and sometimes it's hard to understand the Clint-Eastwood-on-speed voice that Mr. Carrey affects.
Still, there are some genuine comic gems here, especially a subplot involving Charlie's foul-mouthed kids. But, like their obvious mentors - the Zucker brothers - the Farrelly's formula has started to show over the years. Aside from what has now become standard scatological gross-out humor (focusing almost fetishisticly on the anus this time around), it boils down to having a character do something outrageous, which pushes the bounds of taste, and then revealing that it didn't really happen. "Oh my God, he shot that cow! Oh wait...no he didn't". "Oh my God, he's a crazed killer! Oh wait...no he's not". "Oh my God, this is a great movie! Oh wait..."
