Fun with Dick and Jane is a remake, or rather inspired by, the original film of the same name back from the year I was born, 1977 (starring George Segal and Jane Fonda). Starring Jim Carrey and Téa Leone, it is one of those feel-good, madcap adventures that will never win many awards but is very enjoyable to watch.

Dick and Jane Harper are a respectable couple. Dick is a PR man and very good at his job, while Jane hates her job due to a demanding, petulant boss. They have a nanny who lives with them, and due to Jane not spending all that much time with their son, he now has a Mexican accent and views Spanish as his first language. When Dick finds out he is getting promoted it seems like a dream come true for both him and Jane, who can now afford to quit her job. That, of course, is when everything starts going wrong… badly wrong as the company he works for suffers and ENRON-style catastrophe - and having played by the rules and lost, they decide that the only logical thing to do is resort to a life of crime… ultimately to get revenge on the man who left the company in the lurch while keeping millions for himself…

Jim Carrey (Dick) plays his normal hyper-active, over-acting self, though in a few scenes does portray emotions better than I’ve ever seen him do in other films. (Admittedly I have avoided films of his such as Ace Ventura and Dumb & Dumber like the plague, however I did enjoy The Mask and Liar, Liar, which although daft at least had some intelligence hidden behind them.) It’s hard to believe that he can actually ham it up more than usual, but he manages it, often to funny and sometimes hilarious effect. Téa Leone provides able comic support and they are a very likable on-screen couple. However, while Carrey hamming things up is to be expected and works fine in its own way, the fact that several other key cast members also over-act rather ruins the effect. Alec Baldwin in particular, as big boss Jack McAllister, was gratuitously corny in his role. I think this was deliberate but one chronic over-actor is enough for any film…

All the same, since the film depended so strongly on Carrey and Leone, who did not in any way disappoint, and the script keeps the visual and verbal humour coming thick and fast, this is a highly enjoyable and entertaining film. With a little more satirical content it could have been even better – there is some satire, which works well, but a little more would have been nice. There is very little offensive content in the film though there is a little bad language. Apart from the comedy there are quite a few good stunts to add to the spectacle value, too. Though there were quite a few funny bits of dialogue, very few were actually memorable outside the context of their scene – at least, I can’t remember many!) The film’s name might make it sound like this is going to be a smutty affair, but Dick really is only used as a name – the nearest the film comes to using it as a joke is the line “I think we’re in a bit of a pickle, Dick”, which just sounds faintly ridiculous.

Things to watch out for:

Dick and Jane disguising themselves as various celebrities as they go holding up various stores

Jane’s face after earning some money for cosmetic testing

Quotes

Dick Harper: Nice car. What is that, a Rolls Royce?
Garth: Yeah, I just got in with this new company, great benefits. It's called Enron!

Other Information

Rating: Rated PG-13 for brief language, some sexual humour and occasional humorous drug references. (UK rating 12A)

Runtime: 90 minutes

Directed by Dean Parisot – has directed the wonderful TV series Northern Exposure as well as Monk, and the absolutely brilliant sci-fi comedy movie, Galaxy Quest

Overall Verdict

A funny and enjoyable comedy with plenty to enjoy, as long as you don’t take it too seriously!


Related Actor Links:

Richard Burgi (he played on of Dich and Jane’s neighbours in this) - In Her Shoes

Téa Leone - Family Man

See Also:

Top Ten Romantic Comedies

Top Ten Comedies


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See Also

Top Ten Films of 2005

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Recommended:
Yes