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MAN ON THE MOON Send This Review to a Friend
Jim Carrey has his best role yet as the late comedian Andy Kaufman in director Milos Forman's rather frenzied biographical "Man on the Moon," co-scripted by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski. Carrey applies his considerable comic talent to reprise the zany antics and irreverence that won Kaufman his fans and saddened them when he died of cancer. From driving TV executives mad by his unpredictability to wrestling women in the ring, Kaufman's shtick is reprised by Carrey with an effort to capture the dynamics of his talent.
There's a downside, however, because Kaufman could also be an annoying bore, judging by what is presented here. Not everything comes across as funny and one can lose patience with the rest. Besides, the film never does give us a handle on what Kaufman was really like apart from his public persona. The private moments don't add up to more than glimpses, and one is left wondering about the man. Perhaps that is the best one can expect because there may not be any ready answers.
The result is a mixed bag, with welcome laughs generated by Carrey as Kaufman, a solid take on the entertainer's comic strengths and the elements that exasperated audiences and some who had to work with him. Danny DeVito, also a producer of the film, convincingly mirrors both the appreciation and the exasperation in his role as Kaufman's agent. Courtney Love adds color as the woman who struggles to love, understand and deal with the unpredictable man. Various real-life people are cast as themselves.
Given that this is a Forman work, one can expect the height of expertise with respect to atmosphere, the overall look of the film and the solid artistic quality on all technical fronts. It is just that the portrait of Kaufman can become tiresome even while one admires Carrey's performance. A Universal Pictures release.
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