Man on the Moon: Andy Kaufman Biopic Marks 25th Anniversary

Andy Kaufman biopic Man on the Moon, starring Jim Carrey as the late comedian, marks the 25th anniversary of its 1999 theatrical release.

I’ve had the Kino Lorber Studio Classics Blu-ray for the better part of almost three years now. What better time to revisit the film than its 25th anniversary? Anyway, this is not a traditional biopic. If anything, it is a biopic in the sense that any Kaufman (Jim Carrey) biopic can be. We know this right from the start because it starts out with a classic Andy Kaufman type of gag welcoming us to the film. This gag is what sets the tone for what to expect during the next two hours.

Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski’s screenplay focuses in on a very narrow period of time. We’re not getting much of Andy’s childhood. Similarly, nobody should have expected to go into the film expecting to see Kaufman’s pre-fame life. It’s very focused on the time period just before SNL and ending with his death from lung cancer in 1984. You might say that’s too long of a time period and yes, I would definitely agree. However, they tighten up the script in a way that balances the fun line between comedy and drama. It has some inaccuracies, which I’ll get into shortly. I’m more forgiving than usual–I’m a huge stickler for accuracy–because Carrey’s performance is able to elevate the film that much. His performance is right up there with The Truman Show and some would probably argue Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

After the SNL performance, Kaufman lands an agent, George Shapiro (Danny DeVito). Shapiro gets Kaufman a gig on Taxi. Kaufman wasn’t a fan of sitcoms so naturally, he wanted to quit. He was quite the disruptor as we see during the film. Kaufman uses the series to transition his Foreign Man character to Latka Gravas. At another point, Kaufman decides to become a professional wrestler, but only against women. He starts dating one of the women, Lynne Margulies (Courtney Love). Later on, the whole feud between Kaufman and Lawler–which we later learn was staged–plays out on screen.

Only when the film moves into Kaufman’s cancer diagnosis does it reach the emotional portion of the film. Obviously, we know what’s going to happen because it’s a biopic, even if it’s not all that traditional. But as we see, the people in Andy’s life think it’s a prank. Creative partner Bob Zmuda (Paul Giamatti) is of the belief that Kaufman faking his death would be a great prank. With time running out, Kaufman decides he wants to play Carnegie Hall–more on the timeline below.

Carrey crushes it not just as Kaufman but Kaufman’s various characters and roles, including Tony Clifton and Latka Gravas. The character of Clifton is rather loud and obnoxious. Even in watching the film, one never knows where Kaufman ends and another character begins. In actuality, both Kaufman and Bob Zmuda portrayed Clifton. The film more or less has an open ending where audiences think Kaufman might still be alive, especially as the film cuts to Zmuda in the crowd.

In filming this biopic well over 14 years after Kaufman’s death, it is quite a choice to use the real actors and not make any effort to de-age them. We’re seeing the likes of Lorne Michaels, Dave Letterman, and Paul Schaffer as they look during filming in 1998. You can also say the same thing about the Taxi cast–if you look closely, DeVito is not with the Taxi cast. If anything, Jerry Lawler might be wearing makeup to look as he did back in the day.

Like a number of films based on real life, it is not without its inaccuracies. Regarding Taxi, Carol Kane did not join until after the first season. As for the Carnegie Hall performance, this took place five years before Kaufman’s death. It did not take place following the cancer diagnosis. Gary Kroeger, not Lorne Michaels, asked viewers to vote Andy Kaufman off the show back in 1982. This was during Lorne’s 5-year hiatus from SNL. Speaking of SNL, Richard Belzer did not host the first episode–the honor went to George Carlin. Belzer’s only SNL credit is a season 3 episode. At no point during his lifetime did he ever host the show. Lance Russell, not Jim Ross, was the actual ringside announcer. Some of these inaccuracies are just unforgiveable.

Jim Carrey, who went method in his portrayal of Kaufman, delivers one of the best performances of his career in Man on the Moon.

DIRECTOR: Miloš Forman
SCREENWRITERS: Scott Alexander & Larry Karaszewski
CAST: Jim Carrey, Danny DeVito, Courtney Love, Paul Giamatti, Vincent Schiavelli, Peter Bonerz, Jerry Lawler, Gerry Becker, Leslie Lyles

Universal Pictures released Man on the Moon in theaters on December 22, 1999. Grade: 3.5/5

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Danielle Solzman

Danielle Solzman is native of Louisville, KY, and holds a BA in Public Relations from Northern Kentucky University and a MA in Media Communications from Webster University. She roots for her beloved Kentucky Wildcats, St. Louis Cardinals, Indianapolis Colts, and Boston Celtics. Living less than a mile away from Wrigley Field in Chicago, she is an active reader (sports/entertainment/history/biographies/select fiction) and involved with the Chicago improv scene. She also sees many movies and reviews them. She has previously written for Redbird Rants, Wildcat Blue Nation, and Hidden Remote/Flicksided. From April 2016 through May 2017, her film reviews can be found on Creators.

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