Dumb and Dumber To

Movie Name: Dumb and Dumber To
Year of Release: 2014
Director: Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly
Starring: Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels, Kathleen Turner, Rob Riggle, Laurie Holden, Rachel Melvin, Steve Tom, Don Lake, Elizabeth Cooper
Genre: Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
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Synopsis and Review

20 years after the original and very successful "Dumb and Dumber", the Farrelly siblings have reunited with their lead stars to bring back more adventures of Lloyd and Harry. The story finds Lloyd initially committed to a mental institution, with Harry visiting him frequently. Turns out Lloyd was just pranking him and has been doing so for 20 years. Harry reveals he needs a kidney transplant, but sadly his parents can't be of assistance since he's been adopted. While visiting his parents, Harry finds out that his ex-girlfriend Fraida Felcher has given birth to daughter by the name of Fanny, whom she had to give out for adoption, and that he is quite possibly the father. Happy at the thought of having a potential donor, they both set out to meet her, only to discover she's headed to El Paso, to give a speech on her adoptive father's work. They set out to connect with her, but hot on their trail is Travis, who has been working with Adele, to kill Fanny's adoptive father (Adele being married to Fanny's adoptive father). Once they arrive at the convention however, all sorts of shenanigans ensue. 

What was always so interesting about the original "Dumb and Dumber", aside from the obvious chemistry and camaraderie between Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels, was the anarchic tone the film had, twisting conventions on their head. And while some jokes and set ups were indeed juvenile and in poor taste, the energy the film managed to capture was somewhat an interesting legacy of what Frank Tashlin and Jerry Lewis did with their films (for instance "Cinderfella"). This sequel tries to recapture that unique energy that transpired in 1994, and while instances and moments can never be truly recaptured, the film does manage to have some really solid moments of humor. The relationship and rapport between Harry and Lloyd persist and it's one of the highlights of the film, and while some attempts at tying the narrative to what happened in the first feature are not quite so successful, there's still plenty to enjoy in the interactions that occur with Rob Riggle (who in this case plays the spiritual legacy character played in the original by the late Mike Starr). If there are indeed some unnecessary plot points (the plot to kill Fanny's adoptive father), the addition of some scenes with Kathleen Turner's Fraida Felcher are hilarious. While both "Dumb and Dumber" features never had at their core a substantial character development, their situational humor and anarchic tone does make for an interesting watch, if nothing for the sheer opportunity to witness Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels be unhinged. While not as successful as the original, this sequel is still worth watching.