There's Something About Mary

Mary has it all. She’s kind, sweet, funny, and intelligent. Oh yeah, and she’s also a dead ringer for Cameron Diaz. It’s no wonder she becomes the object of more than a couple of men’s slightly-creepy affections in this marvellous movie containing some of the most memorable comedy moments of the 90s.

Stalking has never been more hilarious than it is here in the hands of the Farrelly brothers, the gross-out specialists who previously brought us the likes of ‘Dumb & Dumber’ and ‘Kingpin’. Ben Stiller plays the High School geek whose teen love for class babe Mary develops into a lifelong obsession, to the point of hiring a private investigator (a moustachioed Matt Dillon) to track her down 13 years after an ill-fated senior prom.

The trouble is, the ‘tec soon falls for her too – and he’s far from the only one to inadvertently fall under her spell. Among the others to have noticed that there is, indeed ‘something about Mary’, are a scheming Lee Evans, nervous wreck Chris Elliott, and even real-life American football jock Brett Favre.

As anyone who’s seen any of the Farrellys’ other flicks will know to expect, this isn’t a movie aimed at the politically correct set. There’s something in here to offend pretty much everyone and anyone, be your own personal sore point cruelty to animals, the disabled, police brutality, murder, homosexuality or even good ol’ hair gel. But if you’re anything like I was the first time I saw it, you’ll be far too busy belly-laughing to care.

There’s also a surprisingly sweet core to all of this, and the blossoming romantic hook between Diaz and Stiller is infinitely more palatable than anything you’ll find in your standard generic rom-com. Personally, I’m much more sickened by any movie co-starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan than anything the Farrelly brothers could EVER dream up. They’ll just have to settle for second-best on that front.