Released in 2000 here in the UK, Man on the Moon was the very first movie that I saw in a theatre by myself. No one wanted to go and see this with me, but being a huge Jim Carrey fan and also a huge wrestling fan, I knew I had to see this in the theatre. Look, Man on the Moon is an entertaining movie, but the behind the scenes stuff in regard to Jim Carrey’s behavior is even more fascinating than the movie itself.
How to Download Man on the Moon
Man on the Moon was released on December 22, 1999. You can download or stream the film from a digital platform. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice.
The Movie Review
The Story of Andy Kaufman
Man on the Moon is the story of the incredible performer/comedian Andy Kaufman. I will not lie and say I was a lifelong fan of his. As a matter of fact, I had no idea who Andy Kaufman was until I read about his groundbreaking wrestling feud with Jerry The King Lawler in a wrestling magazine. That along with Jim Carrey being the star were the reasons I wanted to go and see this movie. Jerry Lawler actually plays himself which is really awesome.
From Childhood to Stardom
The movie takes us from his childhood all the way until his death. We get to see Andy become the amazing and weird performer that people would love or in some cases love to hate. However, we also get to see the various alter egos such as Tony Cliffton and Latka Gravas as well. Jim Carrey is phenomenal in this role.
Jim Carrey’s Immersive Performance
Jim Carrey well and truly gives this role his all. As we would learn thanks to the Netflix documentary, Jim & Andy The Great Beyond, Jim was a bit of a lunatic while this movie was being made. It was like he felt he was Andy, even going as far as to interact with Andy’s daughter. It made for a very hard watch to be honest with you. However, it does show how Jim Carrey has grown as a person since this movie was made.
The Impact of Jim & Andy The Great Beyond
You know, I like Man on the Moon, but I would say you have to watch this and then watch the documentary to really appreciate it more. I do prefer the documentary, but this is still a fun and kind of heartbreaking and frustrating watch as well. I would completely understand why this would not click for some people, especially those who were around for Kaufman’s career and found his whole schtick exhausting.
Playing Loose with the Truth
Also, from what I have learned over the years, Man on the Moon does play it quite loose with how the Andy Kaufman story is told, mixing up certain events here and there. To be fair, it does this to try and tell a more coherent and flowing story that fits the narrative of the movie better.
The Wrestling Feud
As a wrestling fan, I got a huge kick out of the stuff with Andy being the inter-gender wrestling champion! I remember reading about the drama that happened when filming the wrestling scenes before the movie came out! It made the newspapers so I was very excited to see it and I am happy to say that it did not disappoint.
A Mixed Recommendation
I recently watched Man on the Moon for the first time since the Jim & Andy The Great Beyond Documentary came out. It is a weird movie to give an opinion on, yes I like this movie, but I can easily see why this is not for everyone. If you do not fancy the movie or have seen it and did not like it. I highly recommend you still check out the Netflix documentary. It is one of the best “making of” style documentaries I have ever seen.
