Milos
Forman’s Man on the Moon is one of the most unsung dramas in recent
memory. If anything, I hope Jim and Andy: The Great Beyond will give viewers a chance
to go back and rediscover that wonderful film.
If you ever wanted to know how Jim Carrey transformed himself into Andy
Kaufman, look no further. This is a
fascinating documentary of Carrey's Method acting. By staying in character throughout the entire
shoot, it caused friction behind the scenes between him and members of the
crew. It would've been one thing if Carrey
had been playing an ordinary guy. Andy
Kaufman was anything but.
The
film is essentially comprised of Carrey reminiscing about the filming while we
see behind the scenes footage of him running wild on set. We’re not talking about any old “making of”
documentary either. This is some
unprecedented stuff. It’s intimate,
personal, and challenging, which helps to blur the line between real and
reel.
Take
for example how Jim, as Andy, mercilessly taunts wrestler Jerry “The King”
Lawler. Even when Lawler confides that
in real life, he and Andy were good friends and had a respectful relationship,
Jim refuses to back down, which causes tension in between takes. Finally, they come to blows and Carrey has to
be taken out by ambulance.
The
funniest moments come when Carrey is dressed up as Kaufman’s aggressive,
insulting alter ego, Tony Clifton. The
scene where he busts in to Amblin’s offices demanding to see Steven Spielberg
is a riot. Even better is the part when
Clifton crashes a party at the Playboy Mansion. I’d like to think somewhere Kaufman was
smiling.
Even
though Carrey’s dedication to his craft ruffled some feathers, it had an oddly
healing effect for some of Kaufman’s family members. Carrey interacted with them as if he was the
real Andy; giving them all a sense of closure.
Like Kaufman’s work, there’s a bit of heart to go along with the
madness.
Carrey
himself proves to be a fascinating interview subject. He is shockingly honest and forthright and
offers a lot of insight into his career and personal life. Even if you’re a casual fan of either man,
you really owe it to yourself to check this out. It’s one of the best documentaries of the
year.
AKA: Jim and Andy:
The Great Beyond: Featuring a
Very Special, Contractually Obligated Mention of Tony Clifton.
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