Dumb and Dumber is arguably Jim Carrey’s best comedic performance, and the Canadian comedian isn’t even the film’s sole protagonist! Acting alongside actor-musician Jeff Daniels, the endlessly quotable comedy from the Farrelly brothers (Me, Myself & Irene, There’s Something About Mary) follows Lloyd Christmas (Carrey) and Harry Dunne (Daniels) as they drive over 2,000 miles to return a suitcase to the woman of their dreams, only to get rejected in the end. It’s one of the best road trip movies out there, and the movie’s premise gave the perfect space for Carrey to showcase his A-list comedian skills.
“They say it’s the most pirated comedy in Chinese history,” co-director Peter Farrelly once told Collider about Dumb and Dumber. “They say there are zillions of them floating around in China. It did grow in stature, over the years, too. When they came out, the reviews weren’t really nice. Some were, but most weren’t. Pauline Kael from the New Yorker came out of retirement to write a review and raved. I remember other critics noted that and were like, ‘Maybe this isn’t so bad.’”
With solid motivations, terrific acting, a seemingly endless supply of comedic setpieces and relatable characters, Dumb and Dumber is perhaps one of the funniest movies of all time. See below for a list of the film’s funniest moments, listed in a generally chronological order.
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“It’s OK! I’m the limo driver!”
New Line Cinema
First, we think he’s a college professor. Then, we realize he’s just a limo driver. And before long, Lloyd isn’t even employed. In Dumb and Dumber’s first act, the entire sequence of Lloyd driving Mary to the airport and dropping her off is hilarious as he tries to hit it off with her. And it all comes to a head when he discovers she left her briefcase in the terminal after dropping her off, so he races through the airport and actually finds her gate — by some miracle. But there’s a catch: The plane has already taken off. Before flashing his badge to an airport employee (thinking it permits Lloyd to enter any location as he pleases), Lloyd races to the plane — that’s no longer parked at the airport. “Fell off the jetway again,” Lloyd later tells Harry.
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“I was robbed by a sweet old lady on a motorized cart.”
Nothing beats that ridiculously large cowboy hat Lloyd buys himself when he’s out getting groceries — after getting fired, of course. As he walks with his seemingly wasteful purchases, Lloyd accidentally leaves his wallet inside a newspaper dispenser. He then asks a “sweet old lady” to watch his stuff while he goes to break a dollar for change. The lady is not so “sweet” as she takes off with Lloyd’s things. Perhaps it didn’t help that Lloyd previously insulted her demographic as “slow and dangerous behind the wheel.”
“You sold my dead bird to a blind kid?”
The kickoff of Lloyd and Harry’s road trip soon follows. As they’re cruising along, Harry notices Lloyd snacking (aggressively) on something. Harry scolds Lloyd, reminding him that they’re “on a very tight budget.” Harry finally gets it out of him that Lloyd got the extra money by selling their “dead bird to a blind kid” — AKA their neighbor at the apartment they formerly shared. In Dumb and Dumber’s third act, we see young Billy being interviewed about the scandal on A Current Affair.
Lloyd’s Fantasy
Later during the road trip, it’s Lloyd’s turn to drive while Harry sleeps — so you already know there’s going to be trouble. The film is titled Dumb and Dumber, and it’s safe to say Lloyd is “Dumber” if you had to choose. But God bless him, as his intentions are good (most of the time). While driving along, Lloyd finds himself day-dreaming (at night). The elaborate dream sequence is outrageous in every regard, especially that fight scene with the chef…
Car Ride with Joe
Also during the road trip west to Aspen, Lloyd and Harry pick up a hitchhiker. But it’s no ordinary hitchhiker — it’s Joe “Mental,” the mobster who’s trying to kill them. In one the film’s most memorable scenes, Lloyd and Harry drive Joe absolutely “mental” with a game of tag (inside the van), a terrible song rendition… and “the most annoying sound in the world.” Mental’s infuriated reactions are simply priceless.
“Pills are good!”
Speaking of Joe — once they finally touch down on a diner for some food along the way, Mental confirms to his boss he’s prepared to put “rat poison in their Shirley Temple” in an effort to take Lloyd and Harry out of the picture and retrieve the briefcase full of cash. Dumb and Dumber is stacked with hilarious one-liners, but at the end of the day, the film’s slapstick moments are perhaps the most memorable. This includes what happens in the diner with those “atomic peppers” being served. First, Lloyd and Harry try the peppers, and they go ballistic from the heat. Then, it’s Joe’s turn — though it’s against his will, as Lloyd and Harry tricked Mental in eating them. And then they have to save his life, which they fail at, miserably. One highlight: “This woud be a lot easier if you’d just hold still,” says Lloyd as he tries to give Joe CPR.
“I can get 70 miles to the gallon on this hog.”
Later, during the cross-country road trip, Lloyd makes an epic wrong turn, causing them to “drive almost a sixth of the way across the country in the wrong direction.” As they (temporarily) part ways, Harry tries to hitchhike, while Lloyd sneaks off to sell the van in exchange for a tiny scooter. Was Lloyd inspired by that motorized cart being driven by the “sweet old lady” who robbed him earlier? Or was this just a bonehead move that Harry somehow finds brilliant? Either way, it’s hysterical seeing Lloyd try to drive the thing on the highway.
Lloyd Gets Ready For the “Ball”
After a scuffle during the road trip, the briefcase accidentally opens and reveals a whole lot of cash. By then, Harry and Lloyd are already in Aspen, their intended destination, so they set up shop in a luxury hotel using the dough. It’s there that Harry reads in the newspaper (since Lloyd can’t read) that Lloyd’s love interest Mary will be attending an upcoming gala. In effect, Lloyd gets ready for the “ball,” Cinderella-style, and we see the hilarious process ensue during a fun montage cut to “Pretty Woman” on the soundtrack.
Lloyd Waits for Mary at the Bar
At the gala with Mary, Lloyd gets false hope that Harry has set him up on a date with the love of his life. We find out later that Harry duped Lloyd purposefully due to hard feelings dating back to Harry’s prior love interest — who also had a secret fling with Lloyd, as it turns out. So, Harry pulls a fast one and tells Lloyd to meet Mary at a local bar at 10 a.m. Lloyd waits and waits, getting progressively more intoxicated as a random woman (who turns out to be a federal agent) sits next to him and vents about her own love quarrels. They say that “half of acting is reacting,” and Carrey’s mannerisms throughout this bar scene are priceless. Then, on his way out, Lloyd is dumbstruck when he sees a dated newspaper clipping, framed on the wall, reporting that “we landed on the moon!” Talk about clueless!
Harry’s Tongue Gets Stuck to the Pole
OK, maybe this scene is the most memorable. Harry’s tongue getting stuck on a chairlift pole along an Aspen ski mountain was all over the trailers that promoted the film’s theatrical release back in ‘94. The gimmick is universally appreciated humor for all ages. You’d think, out of the pair, it’d be Lloyd getting himself into such a predicament. So, it’s exponentially funnier that it’s the slightly more sensible Harry’s tongue getting stuck. A similar situation occurred in the holiday classic A Christmas Story, with Ralphie’s friend getting his tongue stuck to a pole on school grounds. The Dumb and Dumber version of this physical-comedy joke is equally funny.
Harry on the Toilet at Mary’s House
Here’s another slapstick moment centered on Harry’s misfortune. Once Lloyd discovers Harry duped him into a non-existent date with Mary, he spikes Harry’s tea with laxatives — which kick in (to say the least) once Harry arrives at Mary’s place. He rushes to the bathroom and unleashes the most terrifying of bowel movements, only to discover immediately after the fact that the toilet is “broken.” This whole sequence is laugh-out-loud funny, with Daniels really showing off his physical comedy chops. The actor has since starred in countless dramas requiring serious performances, but Dumb and Dumber is a great way to see an entirely different side of the Emmy-winning actor.
Lloyd and Harry Turn Down Job Offer with Models
Dumb and Dumber turns somewhat serious for a bit in its suspenseful climax, when Lloyd and Harry are taken hostage once the bad guys finally track them down. But then, the film concludes in perfect fashion: with the two knuckleheads botching a perfect opportunity to turn their lives around and contribute to society. A coach bus pulls up as they walk along the highway, with the doors opening to beautiful models saying hi and offering them jobs to accompany them along their U.S. tour. Harry tells them, “You’re in luck,” and sends them two miles down the road, not getting the hint that the models wanted their help. Then, there’s a final glimmer of hope as Lloyd chases after the van — but instead of saying, “Take us with you,” Lloyd says, “the town is back that way.” Oh, well…
