Review by MTMoura
"Me, Myself & Irene", a 20th Century Fox and Conundrum Entertainment production, is the second collaboration between the Farrelly brothers ("There's Something About Mary") and Jim Carrey. Their previous joint effort was the hilarious 1994 smash hit "Dumb and Dumber".
The script was co-written by the Rhode Island native duo and Mike Cerrone. Although Peter and Bobby Farrelly's original intention was just to produce, they've quickly changed their minds when learning about Jim Carrey's interest in starring as Charlie Baileygates, a Rhode Island State Trooper suffering from Multiple Personality Disorder.
Renée Zellweger ("Jerry Maguire", "The Bachelor", "Nurse Betty") co-stars as Irene, the love interest of both conflicting personalities, who gets involuntarily involved in a federal investigation conducted on her ex-boss, played by Danny Green ("Kingpin").
Jerod Mixon ("Bullworth"), Mongo Brownlee ("Con Air") and Anthony Anderson ("Romeo Must Die") take on the roles of Charlie's geniuses sons, while Michael Bowman is the albino waiter with an unsettling past, who joins Charlie and Irene during their escape.
Robert Forster ("Jackie Brown") also co-stars as Charlie's captain and Jessica Harper ("Pennies from Heaven") as his psychiatrist. Richard Jenkins ("There's Something About Mary") and Chris Cooper ("American Beauty"), portray a pair of dishonest cops on the trail of Charlie and Irene.
True to their reputation of producing riotous blockbuster comedies with just a couple of cardboard cuttings, glue and string, the Farrellys put together "Irene" with an estimated $45 million budget, a considerably low figure by current Hollywood standards. "Me, Myself & Irene" also had an unusually fast start as the first buzz regarding the project hit the media during mid April of 1999 and by the beginning of May production had already begun.
Principal photography started in Jamestown, Rhode Island, on May 11th surrounded by much excitement. Other Rhode Island locations used were Newport and Narragansett, a small beach community, where a private Summer cottage served as Charlie's house.
On May 24th production proceeded to Vermont, setting headquarters in the city of Burlington. On location filming occurred in several places around the State, namely Essex, Colchester, Vergennes, Waterbury, Essex Junction, Burlington, Richmond and Williston. Middlebury had the special honor of hosting the movie's final scenes. The Otter Creek falls footbridge was transformed into a closed railroad trestle where filming occurred during three days in early July. Production wrapped on July 27th.
by BCDavis
It seems like a simple enough plot line: A Rhode Island State Trooper named Charlie develops a split personality named Hank, and both fall for the same woman.
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: Charlie is a sweet guy - he gets walked all over, doesn't stick up for himself, obeys every jot and tittle of the law, and is a general wuss. His other personality, Hank, is the complete opposite - he's no less than an aggressive SOB, a guy who messes with the minds of people, thinks only of himself, and is a prime candidate for solitary in a maximum security prison. They both are interested in Irene. Charlie actually loves her and cares for her, while Hank just wants to bang her, then kill her off. When one personality is present, the other not only doesn't know what the other is doing, they don't remember, what each has done. Irene is a beautiful young woman who gets in the wrong place at the wrong time. The poor girl gets horribly confused with the Charlie/Hank interplay as the story moves along, and frankly, I'm surprised she makes it to the end of the film. Charlie also has three boys - triplets. Since they are African-American, he obviously did not sire them. His ex-wife had an affair with a black limousine driver/molecular genetics professor.
STORYLINE: A Rhode Island State Trooper doesn't know how to cope with the affair his ex-wife had, nor can he cope with things that generally tick him off. He internalizes everything. The result? A split personality disorder develops, with his aggression coming out in explosive form in the gent known as Hank. Charlie eventually meets up with Irene by an assignment of her extradition out of state for charges pending. Along the way, both become wanted by the FBI and state law enforcement. At one point Charlie forgets and loses his medication that keeps Hank in check. The result: An all out battle for final control by the two radically different personalities. The climax of the story takes place on a bridge over a raging river, where we see who finally wins out.
REVIEW: As I read through the script, a thought crashed through my reverie: How come the psychology and characters remind me so much of "The Mask"? In fact, I just pictured Jim Carrey without the green makeup, and I got Charlie and Hank. Not that that's a bad thing, mind you. Actually, I really enjoy looking forward to see how Jim will play out the roles. Carreyholics who were saddened by the guillotining of the sequel to "The Mask" ("Revenge of the Mask") will be ecstatic with this film, as I believe that's what audiences like the best of "The Mask" movie - not just the special effects, but the Yin-Yang of the main characters. This movie has just that.
For the comedy itself, it is a classic Farrelly Brothers' yarn, with plenty of junior high bathroom humor jokes (I lost count of how many time's Charlie is in the bathroom, or relieving himself in other places), as well as explicit sexual humor (like that found in "There's Something About Mary," another Farrelly Brothers movie). Be warned, folks, this flick could get a rated "R" rating faster than you can say "Alrighty, then!" But, I have a hunch it'll be toned down enough to garner a PG-13 rating. Oh, and look for a scene a la the bathroom scene in "Liar, Liar." Funny as all get out, too. All in all, if Jim plays his characters well (of which there should be no doubt), then the kind of lax plot line won't matter much for Carrey and Farrelly Brothers fans. Besides, the audience will be laughing too hard to really care anyway. I look forward to seeing the film. I do have one question, though: Must Jim really suffer with a broken tooth in BOTH films he does for the Farrelly Brothers?
