From their debut Dumb and Dumber in 1994 through to last year's The Greatest Beer Run Ever, the Farrelly brothers have forged a career by throwing larger-than-life characters into ludicrous situations. The fact they scored some of Hollywood's biggest A-listers to star only sweetened the pot, making for a winning formula they returned to time and time again.
And while the brothers normally work together, Bobby Farrelly strikes out on his own for the upcoming sports comedy Champions. The movie enlists former Farrellys collaborator Woody Harrelson in the role of Marcus, a minor league basketball coach whose court-ordered community service involves coaching a group of players to the Special Olympics. To celebrate the movie's release, we looked back on the brothers' filmography to bring you the five funniest Farrelly brothers movies.
Stuck On You (2003)
By the time Stuck On You reached multiplexes, audiences had grown accustomed to the Farrelly brothers' signature brand of gross-out humor. But in their 2003 outing, the duo display a surprising amount of compassion and kindness in this good-natured comedy about conjoined twins. Matt Damon and Greg Kinnear unite, quite literally, as Bob and Walt Tenor, two brothers who run and own a small diner in their hometown. When Walt's dreams of making it in Hollywood emerge the pair head to Tinseltown. The movie treads a delicate balance here, ensuring the film veers away from insensitive gags, instead showcasing the brothers' witty repartee — thanks to Kinnear and Damon's chemistry.
Me, Myself and Irene (2000)
The Farrellys let Jim Carrey go wild in Me, Myself and Irene with his most outrageous performance to date as Rhode Island state trooper Charlie Baileygates. After years of suppressing his anger and avoiding confrontation, nice guy Charlie develops an alter-ego called Hank Evans with a penchant for profane, vulgar antics. If that weren't troublesome enough Charlie is forced to contend with the fallout from Hank's outbursts while escorting Renee Zellweger's criminal, Irene, cross country. Fans of Carrey's rubber-faced antics popularized in The Mask and The Cable Guy will love his Jekyll and Hyde turn in this gross-out comedy that pushes the boundaries of its R-rating.
Kingpin (1996)
Expectations for Kingpin were high at the time of release yet this bowling comedy truly found its audience later on home video. While its box office haul paled in comparison to Dumb and Dumber, critics applauded Kingpin for its frankly wacky premise and scenery-chewing performances. Woody Harrelson stars as Roy Munson, a former bowling champion eager to relive his glory days vicariously through the skills of Randy Quaid's up-and-comer Ishmael Boorg. The pair road trip to Reno with hopes of winning $1 million in a bowling tournament that involves defeating Munson's former nemesis Ernie McCracken (a hilarious turn from Bill Murray). One of the Farrellys' most underrated comedies, Kingpin has only grown funnier with age.
Dumb and Dumber (1995)
The Farrelly brothers struck gold with Dumb and Dumber. An absurd comedy stacked with quotable dialogue, it's a memorable throwback courtesy of its two lovable buffoons, Lloyd and Harry. Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels' chemistry is what sells this tale of two best friends who journey across the country to reunite Lauren Holly with a sack of ransom cash. There's no need to know any more of the plot than that, because, ultimately the movie is best enjoyed as a series of Jackass-style skits. The comedy gold is in the ridiculousness of Lloyd and Harry's situation and their near-constant pranking of each other.
There's Something About Mary (1998)
The Farrellys close out the 1990s with their best movie, hands down. There's Something About Mary zeroes in on what the brothers do best — rolling quirky characters into farcical situations. That winning alchemy kicks off the movie and never quite stops as Ben Stiller's Ted is keen to reconnect with Mary, his high school crush played to perfection by Cameron Diaz. As Ted enlists help to win her affections, he quickly faces competition from a string of suitors. From its opening scene where Stiller's teen faces embarrassment in front of his dream girl, to the moment Matt Dillon arrives on screen, each moment is packed with genuine laugh-out-loud chuckles. There's Something About Mary elevates the vulgar humor of 1980s gross-out comedies with a dash of good intentions, cementing it in the canon of cinema comedy.
See Bobby Farrelly’s newest movie, Champions, at Regal on March 10.
