Man on the Moon

I was a fool for putting off this film for a year because, instead of trusting Forman, I was a afraid of the not very appealing duo of Carrey and DeVito and the story about a comedian I didn’t know. It’s always nice to be surprised and thrilled by a film that you would’ve never expected. Funny and impressive gem. (02/11/2012)

A truly great and very well-executed biographical work by our countryman, in which Jim Carrey showed that he is not only a comedian, but also a "thespian". Danny DeVito was also good again. At times I thought that this was impossible, that it was over the top, but that's probably what Andy Kaufman and his life was like (it was my fist encounter with him). I give it a lovely 4* for the great direction, acting, music, script and the idea itself. (12/08/2009)

The immense weirdness and strangeness of the film bothered me a lot, instead of making everything more interesting and profound. In terms of filmmaking, there's really nothing much to criticize, Miloš Forman is still a great director and he managed to create a film that will definitely make you think hard, which I certainly appreciate a lot. Moreover, Jim Carrey was perfectly cast for the role and the fact that his character could have been played by Kevin Spacey doesn't bother me at all – this was a role for Carrey and no one else, and he played it in an exceptional way. But that’s where all the good stuff ends, because with its hard-to-understand blending of fiction and reality, the film gradually lost my sympathy, Andy's TV appearances seemed terribly weird and absurd, and the 118 minutes were filled with polite and subdued applause rather than enthusiastic and never-ending cheers. I certainly expected more, but I can't say that I was disappointed by Man on the Moon. 65% (10/22/2012)

This film is absolutely disgusting, stupid, idiotic, I didn't like it at all!... No, no, no, no, this film is absolutely brilliant and riveting!… What's truth and what's fabrication? That must have been the feelings of the audiences of Andy Kaufman, a master of misdirection, a man who lived an exciting, crazy, funny and sad life at the same time. And that is what this film is like, and I mean it. Forman knew that a life story like this was worth filming. His direction is downright brilliant, fresh, as if by a young filmmaker at the peak of their powers. Jim Carrey certainly doesn't ruin it, he's wonderful, but I liked him even more as Kaufman's alter-ego Tony Clifton, I cracked up laughing. Those two hours are watchable in one breath. Bravo! (09/19/2003)

My rating is a bit reserved because I am rating it from a distance: I saw Man on the Moon many years ago, as an immature observer. I'll probably try it again, just to see if I'll rate it higher. Something tells me that Jim Carrey's life role of the perfect madman deserves it. (01/31/2006)