MAN ON THE MOON, starring Jim Carrey, Danny DeVito, Paul Giamatti, Courtney Love, Jerry Lawler, David Letterman, Paul Shaffer, Judd Hirsch, Marilu Henner, Norm McDonald, Lorne Michaels, Jim Ross, Christopher Lloyd and Carol Kane. Directed by Milos Forman. 1999.
Reviewed by John Carroll.
"Hello my name is John and this is my review."
If you have seen any advertisements for Man on the Moon, you have probably seen this tag line, whether it be the poster, soundtrack or other memorabilia for Man on the Moon that you have seen. Either way, I figure it is fitting for this review. Andy Kaufman, despite what people may think about him, is revered among comics as one of the greatest of all time, rivaling the likes of Buster Keaton. Man on the Moon takes a look at his wild life, where the performance began and never stopped.
Andy Kaufman not only had a complex performance on stage, but had a complex life in general. And even as Lynne Margulies (Courtney Love) says to Andy, "There is no real you." And if you are looking for Man on the Moon to answer the questions Andy always brought to the table, then you are in for a shock. Aside from one or two surprises, Man on the Moon just sticks to pure Andy, and still stays just as entertaining.
Documentary-type movies always get made based on the subject at hand. People will be much more intrigued by a documentary surrounding a celebrity than a two-bit low life. Based on that, I definitely will not be looking forward to The John Carroll Story. That being said, back to Man on the Moon. The story is obviously about comic-legend Andy Kaufman. Kaufman is played by Jim Carrey, who is regarded as the comic legend of the 1990s. The resemblance between the two is uncanny. Carrey not only gets the look down cold, but all of the mannerisms as well, even Kaufman's trademark "Tenk you veddy much." Also adding to the nostalgia is the cast of "Taxi", save Tony Danza. All in all, the movie accurately captures the Kaufman persona. It has a five minute sequence about Andy's childhood, other than that, it jumps right into Kaufman's comedic life.
The movie starts off like Andy Kaufman would have wanted it. In a year with so many innovative endings, Man on the Moon has both an innovative introduction and a very intriguing finale. I will not ruin them for you, but they are very Kaufman-esque and set the standard for the entire film.
Jim Carrey got snubbed last year for The Truman Show. Granted, there was no way he would have won the Oscar against the likes of Hanks and Benigni, but he definitely deserved to be there on Oscar night. Considering that, and the absolutely amazing performance he gives in Man on the Moon, it would be an absolute catastrophe if Carrey does not recieve the nomination for Man on the Moon. The buzz for the past few months is that Carrey IS Andy Kaufman. It may seem cliche', but once you see Man on the Moon, you will be saying to yourself, "CARREY IS KAUFMAN." The presence becomes so natural that Carrey creates Kaufman to the extreme. Jim Carrey gives his best performance of his career, and could ultimately be the performance he is remembered for twenty years down the road when he recieves some sort of Lifetime Achievement Award. Kudos must go to Carrey for this unbelievable talent. Anyone who thinks The Truman Show was a fluke will definitely be converted after witnessing Carrey in Man on the Moon.
Andy Kaufman is the center of this film, and due to his profession, is probably one of the funniest dramas you will ever see. The writers, Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, diligently stick to Kaufman's career, recreating the comic's funniest- and most extreme- antics. Kaufman's career becomes much a part of the movie as does Carrey's wonderful performance. His on-screen presence is so demanding that the supporting cast has to fight for screen time, but luckily, they utilize it.
The main supporting cast that has been billed for Man on the Moon has been Danny DeVito, who plays Andy's manager, George Shapiro, and Courtney Love, who plays Lynne Margulies, Andy's girlfriend. However, the most important supporting role- and surprisingly absent from the ads- is Paul Giamatti's role as Bob Zmuda, Andy's writer and best friend. Giamatti gives a great performance as the equally wacky Zmuda. He further brings Kaufman's persona to life as the two partners in crime continuously deviate over how to pull one over on the crowd and to stay "one step ahead of them."
Milos Forman, who directed such critically acclaimed hits as Amadeus and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, helps bring Kaufman to life and Carrey to a terrific performance. Forman quickly moves into Andy's life and never stops. Just like Andy, he stays one step ahead of the audience as he intricately swirves through the life of Andy Kaufman.
Despite all of the supporting performances and the man behind the lens, Man on the Moon ultimately succeeds with Jim Carrey. Carrey is almost always on the screen, and from this Man on the Moon benefits. As the film progresses, things seem out of place. That one loose tie needs to bring everything together. And as Andy goes to the Phillipines to seek his "miracle," he has the ultimate hoax played on him. And he laughs. And at that point, Andy Kaufman becomes apparent. He was not a comedian, or even a "song and dance man" as he claimed to be. He was an artist who was there to entertain himself, and always do the wild, not the obvious. But, on the final note, as Tony Clifton belts out his version of "I Will Survive," we get hit with one more dose of Kaufman, and despite how weird it may seem, it is a fitting ending to a great film.
Final Verdict: A
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