Sep 26, 2001 05:31 AM
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Carrey stars as Rhode Island state trooper Charlie Bailey Gates who, after years of repressing his anger toward his straying wife and sneering townsfolk, erupts into a second personality. This new persona, Hank, is eager to bust heads over the slightest (often imagined) refraction. Charlie and Hank cross paths with the self-proclaimed ditzy Irene (Renee Zellweger) who is on the run from her former boss and lover, Dickie. Just exactly what crimes Dickie has committed is never made clear but it’s enough to involve the feds and enlist the aid of several crooked cops.
While every cop imaginable is chasing them, Charlie and Hank and Irene use this opportunity to explore the angles of their blossoming, albeit bizarre, love triangle.
Carrey’s physical comedy provides the film with its rare moments of hilarity. Carrey’s jumps between personalities are fun, as is watching him create two distinct physical entities at war with each other. But these moments are few; Carrey has performed his wacky schtick with much greater success in previous films such as The Mask and the Ace Ventura series. The majority of the film consists of tired stereotypes and vulgar, juvenile jokes. And Zellweger’s character requires nothing more of her than to show up and recite her lines.
If you are a die-hard Jim Carrey fan dedicated to viewing each and every one of his performances, by all means, help yourself to this lame duck. For the rest of you, I recommend that you see absolutely every other film you are interested in before you spend your hard earned cash on this one. And then watch it only when surrounded by a group of rowdy friends (preferably male) and after you’ve all had several beers!
