Customer Reviews

Fun with Dick and Jane

5 star:		(46)
4 star:		(45)
3 star:		(32)
2 star:		(16)
1 star:		(17)

 

 

Meet Dick Harper (Jim Carrey). He's an employee of a mega corporation on his way up the corporate ladder.

Meet Jane Harper (Tea Leoni). She works at a travel agency to support their middle class lifestyle.

Together, the Harpers have a new house in the suburbs, a son named Billy, a dog named Spot (of course), and a servant named Blanca.

In 2000, Dick's big promotion finally comes. He's now the VP of Communications for his company. He encourages Jane to quit her job to stay home with Billy, an idea she loves.

On his first day in his new position, he goes on a cable outlet to counter the bad news in the media about his company. While he announces to the world that everything is fine, the FCC announces a full-scale investigation and stock prices plummets.

Dick's initial reaction is to not worry. After all, they've got savings. Certainly he can get a new job in a couple months. But as the months go by, nothing happens. All of Dick's former co-workers are also trying to get the limited number of jobs in the area. Dick's desperate attempts to get any kind of job only lead to failure. Finally, out of desperation, Dick and Jane turn to crime. But when they have a chance to get revenge on Dick's former boss (Alec Baldwin), can they pull it off?

I was interested in seeing this movie for one reason and one reason alone - they filmed a scene about half a mile from my house. I'm not a Jim Carrey fan, so I was expecting to hate the movie. Plus I didn't like the sounds of the plot. When I got a chance to attend a test screening the end of October, I jumped. I figured this was a way to see the movie without wasting money. I enjoyed every minute of it.

In spite of how the plot sounds, this really is a comedy. Maybe because I don't think that way, I've never been able to understand how a black comedy works. All I know is, this one does. The humor seems to come from the absurd. What is happening on the screen is so absurd it really is funny. The scene shown in the trailer where they are asking if the muffins are low fat before taking them is a perfect example. Even while the comedy is coming from absurdity, it is grounded in reality. The likelihood of these events happening to these people is slim to none, but you believe it could happen when watching the movie.

Of course, being a Jim Carrey movie, there is physical comedy as well. The scene of him racing other applicants to a job interview comes to mind. He does an amazing job in one scene being a puppet with invisible strings.

A big thing that helps the movie is the characters. They truly are likable. Even when they start breaking the law, you can't help but root for them to win. Mr. Carrey and Ms. Leoni deserve lots of credit for bring these characters to life with such skill.

Also, as I've hinted at before, the story holds together well. The writers take time making the situations believable. Because of that, the story takes time getting where we know the movie is going, but you truly need that time to understand why Dick and Jane turn to a life of crime.

Not that the movie drags at all. It starts out strong and keeps moving from one funny situation to another until the ending, which I absolutely loved.

I have recently found out this movie is a remake of a 1977 movie with the same title and plot starring George Segal and Jane Fonda in the title rolls. Since I haven't seen that movie, I can't compare the two. What I can tell you is this movie seemed fresh and funny to me.

Since what I saw was a test screening, things can change. Frankly, I don't see how they can make the movie any better. Based on what I saw, this is a winner and I will certainly pay money to see it again.

What a movie! I remember seeing the previews and I knew I had to see it. I could not stop laughing the minute the movie started. Credit goes out to Jim Carrey for his always comedic acting, but dont forget Tea Leoni. She did a great job in the movie as well, showing her comedic side. I will definitely be buying this DVD. If you want a good, laid back, plain fun movie then you need to see it!!

Based on the 1977 comedy starring George Segal and Jane Fonda, newer version of `Fun with Dick and Jane' is updated for the 21st century, featuring Jim Carrey and Tea Leoni. The film is produced by Brian Grazer (which may tell you much about the content of the film) and Carrey is also one of the producers. The director is Dean Parisot, whose CV includes hilarious `Galaxy Quest' and muddled `Home Fries.'

My impression about Jim Carrey's `Fun with Dick and Jane' exactly is right between these two - `hilarious' and `muddled.' I mean, sometimes the film is funny, but the script looks muddled from the beginning to the end. The opening of the film introduces us to the married couple Dick and Jane, Dick has been recently promoted to VP of one big company `Globadyne' while Jane has been working as travel agent. But after the promotion of his husband, she thinks she can devote more time to their only son.

But when they think their life is perfect, Dick's company goes bankrupt, and while the CEO (Alec Baldwin) still can afford to live a comfortable life, the employees including Dick are left behind without money. Now being out of job, Dick and Jane try to make money while keeping appearance. After many slapstick gags about how they manage to make ends meet, the couple decide on the revenge plan, to steal money from the CEO himself.

[SOCAIL SATIRE AND SLAPSTICKS] One surprise is the chemistry between Jim Carrey and Tea Leoni, which is credible and works better than the various silly jokes. Even when they are desperate to commit robbery, they manage to be likable, and that is no easy feat. It is true that Jim Carrey repeats his schtick works again, but it is also true that he is careful not to rely too much on his usual mugging face and overacting.

However, the new `Fun with Dick and Jane' sometimes looks muddled. Dick and Jane do heists, disguised as pop culture icons like The Blues Brothers and Sonny and Cher (and Jim playing the role of Cher ... oh dear), and perhaps these sight gags should be left in the cutting room. More regrettable is the lack of edge when the film deals with the social satire, whose target includes such companies as Enron (the film is set in 2000). Alec Baldwin's CEO is nothing but caricature (and he reminds us of one US president when he goes hunting ... you can guess who it is easily), but the satire is too obvious. Dean Parisot, it seems, does not know how to put things together when he has good and reliable actors like Baldwin and Richard Jenkins beside Jim Carrey's character who is getting crazier and crazier while he was down on his luck.

The film is really a mixed bag. It contains two likable characters, some funny moments, a disappointing conclusion, and no insightful comments on the society that should be the target of the film. But I liked the title roles, Dick and Jane, to whom my three stars go.

Jim Carrey and Tea Leoni play Dick and Jane Harper, an upwardly mobile, happily married couple enjoying their slice of American pie. Both have job fulfillment and live in the upper-middle class tax bracket. Both are so fixated on work that they have neglected their young son Billy, who prefers to speak Spanish, thanks to the Mexican maid, who has mostly reared him.

Dick works for Globodyne Corporation and gets promoted to VP of Communications (but only so he could play scapegoat when the corporate stocks plummet). Globodyne goes under, Dick loses his job. At the same time, Jane quits her position in the travel agency. Their lifestyle takes a downhill turn ("We're in a bit of a pickle, Dick") - the lawn is repossesed; they have to frequent all-you-can-eat restaurants and pile food a foot high on the plate; they sell their tv (the kid piteously cries out "Don't take my Telemundo!") They manage to eke by for a while by taking on menial, minimum-wage gigs: Jane sells her body for science experiments and becomes a jeet kune do instructor; Dick works at KostMart and hires on as a day laborer (but gets deported to Mexico). Out of desperation, Dick resorts to robbery, initially abetted by a bemused Jane, who doesn't take long to get with the program. The film goes on to depict the Harpers' criminal hijinks while garbed in various disguises (my favorite is the Sonny & Cher costumes). The final 20 minutes or so reveals how Dick and Jane get even with the dastardly CEO of Globodyne.

This comedy is a remake of the great 1977 Fun With Dick & Jane, which starred George Segal, Jane Fonda and Ed McMahon (!). This update is just as hilarious and, what's more, is more relevant and topical today. Globodyne Corporation is obviously patterned after Enron, in its nefarious misdealings and amoral disregard and treatment of its employees and stockholders. The film also pokes fun at the dog-eat-dog world of competitive employment and satirizes the lengths people would go to to attain a career foothold. Yeah, it's over the top but remember, this is a Jim Carrey starrer.

Jim Carrey does tone it down enough here (not much, but enough) that you get more involved with his character. But, as usual, when he does go for the laughs, he'll crack you up with his amazing rubber face and elastic frame. It's also not surprising that Tea Leoni acquits herself well. She is an accomplished comedic actress, beautiful and wry, but smoothly meshing with Carrey in the crazy moments. They should really do more films together. Alec Baldwin, on the other hand, has got that sleazy corporate persona down cold. Aaron Michael Drozin as the Harpers' son Billy provided me with some of my biggest guffaws; the kid is good.

The special features were a letdown. The gag reel was subpar for a Carrey film. The filmmakers' audio commentary left me cold - for some reason, these guys thought they were stand-up comedians and just rambled away with incessantly unfunny oneliners, seemingly not even caring enough to stay on point with the onscreen scenes - *infuriating*. I do give a thumbs-up to the publicity outtakes; once again, these promo bits prove the Carrey-Leoni comedic onscreen chemistry is real. All in all, I give it a well-deserved four stars. Enjoy.

I hadn't seen Jim Carrey in a movie since Liar Liar. And while that was one of my favorites, Fun with Dick and Jane was enjoyable the whole way through. I give Jim the credit. I can't go with 5 stars, because I believe that the same movie without Jim Carrey, would have missed the mark a bit. Jim was in his customary rare form, so the result is that it was a good movie that did make me laugh more than once. I think you'll like it.

This movie is very funny. I personally liked it. For the story, since this is a remake, it is quite the same as before but the story is kind of over-exaggerated. For the acting, it is awesome. Jim Carrey is always the expert of acting those comedy movies and this movie is no exception. Tea Leoni is a good actress. However, the surprise for acting is Alec Bladwin as the "villain" in this movie. He really can act as this character. For the direction, it is very good overall. For the visuals, it is absolutely stunning because this is my first time to see Jim Carrey's modern comedy movie on DVD in a 2:40.1 format. Yeah, it means that Jim Carrey is now a big star for comedy movie. For the music, it is very good because most of the music in this movie is quite relaxing and enjoyable. For the sound effect, it is good because it has the relaxing feel. Overall, this movie is quite good and it is recommended to get this movie.

A COMEDY YOU WILL LOVE IT !
IT IS NOT JUST FUN BUT MAKE YOU THINK ABOUT THE TOUGH SITUATION OF A MID-CLASS FAMILY... ESPECIALLY IN THE TIME OF "WORLDCOM" AND "ENRON" SCANDALS OCCURRED.

Jim Carrey...One of the most revolutionary comedians of our time. He has not done a good movie since 1996 with The Cable Guy. I was beginning to lose hope in him until...he makes me laugh so hard again in Fun With Dick and Jane. This is the Jim Carrey I know and love. It is a throwback to the good old days of The Mask, Ace Ventura,Dumb and Dumber, and The Cable Guy. This film was hilarious. I cannot wait for the DVD and if you love Jim Carrey as much as I do, you will purchase this incredibly funny film when it comes out. I knew ya could do it Jim, keep making good movies! 5 STARS ALL THE WAY!!!

Fun with Dick and Jane is one of the best comedies in a long time, easily the best since Meet the Fockers. Jim Carrey is hilarious and you are sure to have a good time with this one. I enjoyed the humor in this movie very much, they didn't give away all the funny parts in the trailer and the jokes were very original. This isn't one of those comedies that relies completely on the star for all the laughs, as Tea Leoni did a great job and pulled her weight well. Check out Fun With Dick and Jane, it is very funny.

Dick is a newly appointed VP of communication for a huge corporation, only to find out that his first job is to appear on a TV show and be the fall-guy when the company tanks. With thousands of people suddenly out of work, and Jane having quit her job because they both thought that the new VP salary will be all they hoped it would be, Dick and Jane face poverty, eviction, and humiliation. Dick and Jane try to get work, any work, and then the day the eviction notice arrives Dick decides to take things into his own hands...

...and Dick and Jane go on a reign of terror...as thieves.

There are laugh out loud scenes in the movie, and of course Jim Carey is periodically out of control. Tia Leoni is the perfect complement to Carey's mania, and their chemistry is fantastic.

Some of the things they do are downright silly, but that's forgivable because, you really want them to come out on top.

Even so, this movie does not fall into the category of "I love it", but I say that I really liked it. It's not a chore to sit through at all!

4 solid stars...for fun and guns...sort of.