From the makers of some of the funniest and heartfelt films of all time, is a story of two boneheads looking to make it to the winner's circle against all odds. Due to their foolish demeanor and low intelligence levels, they get caught up in some amusing situations which will surely crack you up in a matter of seconds.
Lloyd Christmas (Jim Carrey) is a limo driver. He is on his way to drive a wealthy woman to the airport. Sparks start flying in Lloyd's head and he has developed an immediate attraction to the woman by the name of Mary Swanson (Lauren Holly). He sees her leaving a briefcase in the terminal and sprints to give it back to her, but what he doesn't know is that the briefcase carries a stash of money needed to free one of Mary's relatives from a kidnapper. The two thugs hired for the job are dumbfounded when Lloyd scurries to take away the briefcase with him and follow him back to his apartment. Harry Dunne (Jeff Daniels) grooms dogs for a living and gets into some trouble of his own during the day as well. With both the guys fired from their jobs, they contemplate on their current situation and how they're supposed to start their pet shop business and pay rent when they have no more funds left. Lloyd, however, convinces Harry to go on a roadtrip to Aspen, Colorado to find Mary and not only give her back the briefcase but hopefully live the sweet life as well after all that they've been through. The buddies get going on their roadtrip but not without a few laughs and hilarious situations along the way. The thugs are still right on their tails but they're totally oblivious and focused on the task at hand: getting to Aspen. Will Lloyd get a chance to deliver the one-two punch when arriving in Aspen or will Harry step up and take the initiative for him? All's well that ends well, right?
My first reaction to seeing this film was the relentless pain that my stomach endured during the film. It's really that funny! From the dialogue to the setting and appearance of the two main characters, it's enough to make even the sourest person gleeful. The overall production of the film doesn't seem overworked and the film rides entirely on the shoulders of the actors and how they deliver their interpretation of these unforgettable characters to the viewers. Some effects were in order but they don't seem to overshadow the work of the actors and the overall plotline whatsoever, making the film that much more genuine and credible in the eyes of the viewer. Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels became breakthrough stars in this film, and I could see by the spark in their eyes how dedicated and devoted they were to executing every detail to the peak of perfection. People may not know this, but it's a lot more difficult to act in comedies, I think, as opposed to drama because not only do you have to transform yourself into the person you are playing and make it authentic, but you also have to figure out the approach and technique that you are taking to perform the comedic sequences, and both these actors have done a phenomenal job with this aspect of acting in a comedy.
The symbolic message that this film sends is of course the parallels that Lloyd and Harry have with most of America. Of course most of us aren't as daft and unintelligent as the two characters portrayed in the film, but our goals aren't that different. We are all under the illusion of wanting to live the American Dream and that's just what Lloyd and Harry set out to do. We all want the expensive cars and the designer clothing while living the sweet life of being able to vacation in spots like Aspen, but the truth is that our financial or society status doesn't allow it. There are many different notion of what a good life should be for each person but what they don't want to hear is that they have to work hard for the chance to get there, and that kind of attitude and commitment has to come at an early age if you want to have a chance at winning the prize. Americans, when overlooked by foreigners, have gained a character of being brash and impulsive when an idea comes into their mind. This kind of mindset is like a fork in the road; it could set off a chain reaction that leads to success or it could be a short-lived venture that only seems great while you're in the moment, but definitely not in the long-term. Blinded by our vision of Hollywood stars, mansions and the glamorous lives a few fortunate people lead, people who immigrate and who are also born and raised in the USA don't realize that it is all very superficial and happiness doesn't lie in the status of being famous and abundantly wealthy, but rather being happy in your personal life and finding an occupation that you are really passionate about while wanting to improve your skills and gain experience in that field, is what should be on every person's priority list. On the other hand it's also about friendship and being able to forgive and forget all the unfortunate situations that you have been caught up in. Although Lloyd and Harry didn't catch their big break, in the end -- due to their slow wits -- they still have each other, and that bond is worth more to them than anything.
Overall, it's a legendary film that will definitely stand the test of time and also one which presents a lot of interesting concepts about our society and the wants of every regular American lone ranger in this stupendous land which offers a bounty of opportunities to those who want it and need it the most. By the way, see if you can guess which of the two is dumb and which one is dumber. I think Lloyd is dumber than Harry but it will be interesting to see your point of view on this continuous debate.
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