Man On The Moon (1999)
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63% of critics liked it
(118 reviews) -
74% of users liked it
(89,423 ratings)
Comedian Andy Kaufman gave performances that were bizarre and difficult to categorize, in which he might do or say almost anything: show cartoons, impersonate Elvis Presley, play conga drums while singing children's songs, read aloud from The Great Gatsby, or take the audience out for milk and… More Comedian Andy Kaufman gave performances that were bizarre and difficult to categorize, in which he might do or say almost anything: show cartoons, impersonate Elvis Presley, play conga drums while singing children's songs, read aloud from The Great Gatsby, or take the audience out for milk and cookies. Written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski and directed by Milos Forman (the team behind The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996)), this biopic takes an in-depth look at Kaufman's life and art, with Jim Carrey as Kaufman, who could (and would) be any number of different people onstage: the quiet and childlike man, the little foreign guy, the overbearing showbiz "professional," the violently obnoxious wrestler, or the world's worst lounge singer. As Kaufman rose from comedy clubs to guest appearances on Saturday Night Live and a spot on the TV sitcom Taxi, his performances became more complex and dangerous -- so much so that when word got out in 1984 that he was suffering from lung cancer, many fans and associates thought it was just another bizarre stunt; the disease took his life later that year. Man on the Moon features Danny De Vito as Kaufman's manager George Shapiro, Courtney Love as his girlfriend Lynne Margulies, Paul Giamatti as his friend Bob Zmuda, and David Letterman, Judd Hirsch, Marilu Henner, Carol Kane, and Christopher Lloyd as themselves. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Milos Forman
- Written By
- Scott Alexander, Larry Karaszewski
- Genres
- Drama, Comedy
- In Theaters
- Dec 22, 1999 Wide
- On DVD
- May 30, 2000
- Studio
- Universal
Critic Reviews
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Derek Adams, Time Out
We're constantly kept guessing as to what's real or false. Intriguing.
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Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
As drama, it's a near miss. Yet as an introduction -- or a reminder -- of a singular talent, it has its appeal.
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Rick Groen, Globe and Mail
Superficially clever yet profoundly shallow.
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J. Hoberman, Village Voice
The filmmakers don't even attempt to give Kaufman an inner life.
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Susan Stark, Detroit News
This is a movie that testifies in blisteringly persuasive terms to the intense, particular genius of Jim Carrey.
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Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Jim Carrey
as Andy Kaufman
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Danny DeVito
as George Shapiro
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Courtney Love
as Lynne Margulies
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Paul Giamatti
as Bob Zmuda
- Tony Clifton
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Vincent Schiavelli
as Maynard Smith
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Peter Bonerz
as Ed Weinberger
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Jerry Lawler
as himself
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Gerry Becker
as Stanley Kaufman
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Leslie Lyles
as Janice Kaufman
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Marilu Henner
as herself
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Judd Hirsch
as himself
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Carol Kane
as herself
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David Letterman
as himself
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Christopher Lloyd
as himself
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Fred Scialla
as Stand-In (Danny DeVito)
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Jeff Conaway
as himself
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Lorne Michaels
as himself
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George Shapiro
as Club Owner
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Norm Macdonald
as Michael Richards
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Christina Cabot
as Meditation Student
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Mary Lynn Rajskub
as Friday's Mary
- Richard Belzer



