The only way I can bear living in a world where Jim Carrey is as popular and loved by the masses as he is is mentally picturing Lauren Holly wearing diamonds and a mink coat, stretched out on a bed covered in $100 bills, saying "thank God for California's community property laws!"

Bah. I actually generally like Carrey, and I loathed him here. Not creepy, not evil. Obviously, YCMV.

My favorite Carrey movie is The Cable Guy. Creepy/funny movie. But it was so long ago that I saw it I wonder if I'd feel the same way now about it....

My guess? He was encouraged to go OTT by the director, because, well, that's why we hired him.

I think the opposite -- the director failed to reign him in, and so he went with his natural comic instincts. (Which is ALWAYS a mistake, IMO. If you listen to Michel Gondry talk about the rehearsal process for Eternal Sunshine, it's pretty clear that his goal was to wear Carrey out as much as possible so that his performance would be toned down from exhaustion. Jim Carrey is capable of very good acting, but it doesn't come naturally. He needs to be directed.)

If you listen to Michel Gondry talk about the rehearsal process for Eternal Sunshine, it's pretty clear that his goal was to wear Carrey out as much as possible so that his performance would be toned down from exhaustion.

Wow. Someone give that man a cookie.

Cable Guy, while not my favourite Carrey movie (I think I prefer both Mask and Liar, Liar) failed for the reasons I didn't hate it -- Carrey was so nasty and creepy, and that's what I've always thought of him.

See, I LIKED Carrey in the film. The OTT stuff went over very well with the younger kids in the theater I saw it in. He was scary, but not scary enough to give six-year-olds nightmares, and kids adore broad humor and he was the only one providing it. The ony ones laughing at Streep (who I totally agree was brilliant) were adults. We were there with friends whose son was frightened to death by Star Wars, and didn't sleep for months and when he did sleep had horrendous nightmares. They were checking this out for him to see fo rthat reason, so it was on my mind.

My guess? He was encouraged to go OTT by the director, because, well, that's why we hired him.

Yuh, Frank, you're probably right. It just irks because everything else about the movie is so dark and lovely and right. I don't know whether the director had a brain fart, or some studio executive insisted, "But it's a holiday movie! We need Carrey! You can't cast some Masterpiece Theatre asshole the kiddies have never heard of!"

Whatever it was, it's just a shame. Everything else is so very marvelous, and he's such a blight. And, yeah, probably doing exactly what he was told to do. Shame on whoever told him. Bad filmmaker/executive/money head! No biscuit!

eta: Sigh. Robin is, again, wise -- Lord knows, Emmett loved Carrey in this, and so did every kid in the audience. But they might've also loved a more finely-tuned Carrey, or someone else altogether. We'll never know now; we're just stuck with a movie that kids love unreservedly and grown-ups love with one large reservation. Where's my unreserved love object, dammit?

Oh, hey, look, Michel Gondry!

makes out with Gondry in absentia

I think the opposite -- the director failed to reign him in,

This is what I think happened. I forget the guy's name, but I don't think the director has a lot of experience, which having experience is probably helpful when directing a movie with Jim Carrey in it.

"reign him in" would be more properly said as "rein him in", as in "rein in a horse."

Forgive me, it's been making me twitchy and anxious and I just had to say it.