Plot: What’s it about?
Charlie Baileygates (Jim Carrey) used to be a normal man with a bright future, but as he was pushed around and abused, a darker force began to rise inside of him. This all started eighteen years ago, when he was just starting out as a Rhode Island State Trooper, as well as getting ready to begin his married life with his new wife and soulmate. But when she had an affair with a midget limo driver, his world turned upside down and she left him, with their three black children. From there, Charlie began to take all the abuse from those around him and his only pleasures came from his work and his three sons. His sons grew to be smart and resourceful young men and all the while, that dark force was gaining power within Charlie. After too much abuse, Charlie finally cracks and starts a path of payback that lands him in trouble with his boss. But when it is revealed that it was not Charlie, but a second personality, things begin to get very unusual. It seems his more aggressive side, Hank, comes out when he is pushed too far, to take revenge on Charlie’s behalf. But when Charlie and Hank both fall for the beautiful Irene P. Waters (Renee Zellwegger), who will end up with control of Charlie’s body and the girl?
When I heard Jim Carrey was making another film with Bobby and Peter Farrelly, I was more than looking forward to Me, Myself & Irene. I saw this a few times at the theater and laughed my head off, but I couldn’t wait until the eventual DVD was released. Now that I hold that shiny little fella in my hands, I’ve watched the film again and pored over the bonus materials. As was the case before, I loved the film and though it gets a little on the graphic side at times, it is a real winner in all respects. There is a lot of sick jokes, crude humor, sexual innuendoes, racial gags, stereotypes, and other politically incorrect materials and needless to say, I couldn’t be happier with the final result. I know a lot of people will find this film to be very offensive, but who cares? I think this is a hilarious motion picture, which showcases the skills of Carrey and the Farrelly brothers very well, which is what counts. If you like crude humor and don’t get easily offended, then Me, Myself & Irene is a film you have to check out. This Blu-ray disc boasts enhanced visuals and has most of the extras, so this is the own fans will want to have in their collections.
The films of Bobby and Peter Farrelly have always pushed the limits of taste, but as usual, they’ve taken things even further here. The jokes are the same kind of crude, low brow stuff, but it seems like bad taste is in fuller effect than ever, which is cool by me. The story here is much better than their previous works, but as you might expect, it gets shoved aside in order to fit in as many gags as possible. But those jokes ensure the film’s success and as usual for these guys, most of them work to gross perfection. I wouldn’t say these gags are shocking by any means, but some are on the gross side and that could offend some folks. But in the end, this is another solid all around effort from these guys, let’s hope they can keep this up. Other films by these two guys include Dumb and Dumber, Kingpin, and There’s Something About Mary. The cast here includes the ever humorous Jim Carrey (The Truman Show, The Cable Guy), Renee Zellwegger (Jerry Maguire, Love & A .45), Anthony Anderson (Romeo Must Die, Big Momma’s House), Jamal Mixon (The Nutty Professor), Chris Cooper (American Beauty, The Patriot), Robert Forster (Jackie Brown, Vigilante), and many others.
Video: How does it look?
Me, Myself & Irene is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. This movie doesn’t have the kind of visual design that pops, but this is a sizable improvement over the standard release. The image has great depth, so the visuals stand out as well detailed and very natural in appearance. I found detail to be strong throughout, in closeups and more distant shots, so across the board, clarity has been enhanced. At the same time, this isn’t going to be one of your “go to” discs to show off your system, as it looks great, but the visuals don’t bound off the screen. Even so, this is a welcome improvement and a more than solid high definition transfer, so fans should be quite satisfied.
Audio: How does it sound?
The included lossess DTS HD 5.1 soundtrack is more than adequate, but this is a dialogue driven comedy, so the boost in performance isn’t remarkable. The music has more life and is the most active element, but some of the more potent scenes do benefit from added presence as well. The film is fueled by dialogue however, so the surrounds don’t quake, but vocals sound clear and crisp at all times. I don’t have much else to mention here, the movie sounded good before and sounds even better now. This disc also includes Spanish and French language tracks, as well as subtitles in English, Spanish, Cantonese, and Korean.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Not all of the supplements are back, but some are and that includes the directors’ comments. The audio commentaries of Bobby and Peter Farrelly have been lackluster in the past, but the one included here is a slight improvement. They still point out all their friends and relatives in the film, but also squeeze in some production anecdotes, which were more than welcome. I still wish they could focus more on the production than who was cast, but this is a step in the right direction, so no real complaints. This disc also includes some deleted scenes, as well as the film’s theatrical trailer.
