DVD Review: Dumb and Dumber Unrated

If a movie can be judged by the quality of its toilet humor, Dumb and Dumber is one of cinema's classics. Jeff Daniels gives his all alongside Jim Carrey, cast as two dim-witted idiots who manage to find themselves unknowingly in the midst of a high-cost kidnapping caper. The results, thanks to the Farrelly Brothers' keen and disgusting sense of humor, push this 1994 comedy into that classic spot, with or without the toilet humor.

What keeps the film together are Carrey and Daniels. While written as oblivious morons, they’re lovable, and for whatever reason, you find yourself caring for them in the end. Supporting performances by Lauren Holly and Mike Starr wrap up the cast nicely.

After 12 years, the film still hasn’t lost its edge. It remains steady with its off the wall humor, treading into uncharted territory as far as blind children go. And yes, it wins the award for best toilet humor moment ever captured on film.

The deleted scenes spliced back into the film enhance many sequences, including that infamous “Turbo Lax” sequence. Many are brief, though fill in continuity gaps while adding another gross out layer. In total, six minutes are added to this cut. Many of these would likely have landed the film in R-rated territory, and are the likely reason for their original deletions.

For a small and rejected film that struggled to find a taker as far back as 1991, Dumb and Dumber marks one of those rare comedy film moments where everything clicks. Pacing is nailed, characters are well rounded, and the plot manages to carry the film to a nice, if predictable, twist ending. Following the plot is the biggest challenge for a first time viewer. You’re simply laughing your way through this one with little regard for why things are happening.

While minor print damage remains, this is a far cleaner video presentation than the non-anamorphic, first generation DVD release of the film. Detail is sharper and compression is only visible on solid walls. It even handles reds and blues without worry. Minor film grain also permeates the print.

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Article Author: Matt Paprocki

Matt Paprocki is a 12-year movie and game critic. He currently freelances for Blu-ray review site DoBlu.com and video game site MultiPlayerGames.com.

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