The late Andy Kaufman is viewed by many as one of the most enigmatic comedians of our time. His ability to manipulate and mess with minds expanded way beyond all boundaries and took comedy to a whole new level. Man On The Moon is a biographical depiction of the real Andy Kaufman and shows that his life was exactly as it seemed to be: an act.
Jim Carrey plays the eccentric comedian with such passion and conviction that it’s difficult to see where Jim Carrey ends and Andy Kaufman begins. It is definitely the role of his career as his realistic portrayal is amazingly convincing. It’s as if you’re watching the real Andy Kaufman re-enacting highlights of his life. From head to toe, Carrey embraces this complicated man and recreates some of the most memorable scenes of Kaufman’s career. From the Mighty Mouse theme song, to inter-gender wrestling, to taking the audience out for milk and cookies, Kaufman was arguably one of the most loved and hated entertainers around. He had the ability to provoke audiences and invoke complex emotions through his wild antics, making his originality a trademark amongst the comedic industry. To Andy Kaufman, there was simply no comparison.
Man On The Moon is directed by two-time Academy Award winner, Milos Forman (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest), and has an all-star cast of original faces that worked closely with Kaufman. Also starring are Danny DeVito as George Shapiro, Kaufman’s founding agent and friend, and Courtney Love as Kaufman’s love interest, Lynne Margulies. Both give solid performances and add a stable element to an otherwise outrageous life story.
One thing Man On The Moon accomplishes well is addressing the issue of who Andy Kaufman really was. He was a mystery to all, including those who knew him best, and Man On The Moon doesn’t cheat this complex reality by making Kaufman out to be something else, something that would make him easier to understand. What we saw of Kaufman was the real him, all the world was his stage. And nobody, and I mean nobody, could convince him otherwise. Even if you are unfamiliar with Andy Kaufman, Man On The Moon is a worth a watch. If nothing else, you’ll gain a few priceless laughs and witness Jim Carrey at his prime.
+ ashley adams
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