There's Something About Mary (1998)

83% of critics liked it
(82 reviews)
59% of users liked it
(31,610,623 ratings)

The Farrelly Brothers set this romantic comedy in their home state of Rhode Island. In 1985, when teen-nerd Ted Stroehmann (Ben Stiller) challenges a high-schooler who's bullying retarded Warren Jenson (W. Earl Brown), his concern prompts Warren's sister, the dazzling and desirable Mary Jenson… More The Farrelly Brothers set this romantic comedy in their home state of Rhode Island. In 1985, when teen-nerd Ted Stroehmann (Ben Stiller) challenges a high-schooler who's bullying retarded Warren Jenson (W. Earl Brown), his concern prompts Warren's sister, the dazzling and desirable Mary Jenson (Cameron Diaz) to choose Ted as her senior prom date, a fact Ted's pals find hard to believe. However, on prom night, Ted gets his penis caught in his zipper, so the much-desired date never happens. Living in Providence and waxing nostalgic 13 years later, Ted hires Pat Healy (Matt Dillon) to locate Mary, and the creepy private investigator finds her in Miami, where she lives with her tan-shriveled roommate Magda (Lin Shaye). After Pat develops a stalker-style fixation on the lovely, unattached Mary, he lies to Ted, telling him that she's now an overweight mother confined to a wheelchair. Employing professional eavesdropping equipment, Pat gathers a dossier on Mary's life and future plans, information that forms the basis for more lies when Pat begins dating her. Sure enough, Mary falls for Pat, although her friend Tucker (Lee Evans) is very suspicious of Pat's claim to be a Harvard-educated architect. Meanwhile, Ted learns the truth but continues to encounter offbeat obstacles as he accelerates to Miami in hopes of finding happiness with his true love. Former Modern Lovers singer Jonathan Richman vocalizes a narrative ballad of onscreen commentary in the Cat Ballou (1965) tradition. Most of the cast sings and frolics to Build Me Up, Buttercup by The Foundations during the closing credits. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

Play Trailer

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 58 min.
Directed By: Bobby Farrelly
Written By: Edward Decter, John J. Strauss, Peter Farrelly, Bobby Farrelly
Genres: Comedy

In Theaters: Jul 15, 1998 Wide
On DVD: Aug 3, 1999
Studio: 20th Century Fox

Critic Reviews

Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post
If the sight of a large chunk of a man's private parts caught in the teeth of a zipper is funny -- and I'm not saying it isn't -- then have I got a movie for you.
Stephen Hunter, Washington Post
This one is dumbest. And funniest, as if that matters even a little bit!
David Edelstein, Slate
Wrackingly funny.
Todd McCarthy, Variety
Crudely made, somewhat overlong and larded with plenty of things that don't work, pic stands as proof positive that a comedy can be far from perfect and still hit the bull's-eye if it delivers when it counts in its big scenes.
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
Despite my earlier reservations about Bobby and Peter Farrelly, they're progressively winning me over, partly because they keep getting better.
Andrew Sarris, New York Observer
Remarkable for all the sick and politically incorrect sight gags it gets away with in its rule-breaking romp through the supposedly sacred laws of what makes people laugh, and what doesn't.
Heather Boerner, Common Sense Media
Farrelly bros' gross-out laughs aren't for kids.
Kevin Carr, 7M Pictures
The movie managed to walk a line between raunchy, gross-out comedy and a romantic comedy.
Peter Canavese, Groucho Reviews
Gauche, garish, and gross, a prime example of the coarsening of our culture and of the art of comedy in film. It's also pretty darn funny. [Blu-ray]
Maitland McDonagh, TV Guide's Movie Guide
A romantic gross-out comedy: What a concept!
, Film4
Puerile, politically incorrect, rib-achingly funny and strangely insightful.
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
...Dillon's Pat, in an effort to win Mary's affections, poorly attempts to ape her compassion for the handicapped by referring to them as "retards" and "goofy bastards...
Phil Villarreal, Arizona Daily Star
It was the raunchy comedy that raked in the headlines and had audiences shaking their heads in offended laughter, then coming back the weekend after, dragging in friends by their arms.
Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Crude, offensive, sexist -- and embarrassingly hilarious.
Tom Meek, Film Threat
Everyone falls for Mary -- why wouldn't they? -- and no one is spared from the Farrellys' razor sharp raunch.
Robin Clifford, Reeling Reviews
One of the weirdest romantic comedies around, combining scatalogical and no-taste humor with naivete and sweetness.
Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
...there were also moments when I was actually bored.
Douglas Pratt, Movie City News
The witty romance is enhanced by the Farrelly's outrageous physical comedy gags and off-color situations, shocking viewers all the way to the cash register.
Dragan Antulov, rec.arts.movies.reviews
Two very entertaining hours -- something that Hollywood comedies these days fail to deliver to the audience, with or without references to certain bodily fluids.

Read all 19 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Dead A

It was not hilarious. Especially the scene in the Bathroom (two scenes actually actually where Ben Stiller was...). Sure Cameron is hot, but the way every guy drooled at her was excess. This movie was okay.
Jeff "

This was made back when The Farrelly Brothers were actually funny. Aside from Dumb and Dumber, There's Something Mary is quite possibly their most famous comedy. The film manages to make you laugh, but the thing that doesn't sit with me is that this film is not as funny as… More
This was made back when The Farrelly Brothers were actually funny. Aside from Dumb and Dumber, There's Something Mary is quite possibly their most famous comedy. The film manages to make you laugh, but the thing that doesn't sit with me is that this film is not as funny as the first time you see it. If you rewatch it numerous times like I have, the jokes become a bit old. But for what its worth, this is a fun filled comedy with plenty of laughs going for it. There's also way too many memorable scenes to mention, and despite it shows its age slightly, once in a while this is still a good comedy to watch to have a few laughs. The cast do a fine job with the material and the humor expressed on screen is ridiculous, off the wall and at times hysterical. Though not as good the first time, this is one of the Farrelly' Brothers classic films along with Me, Myself & Irene, Kingpin and of course, Dumb and Dumber. Everyone here is terrific, but I've seen this film so that so of the humor isn't what it used to be. Still a fun comedy to watch with friends, and this actually one of Cameron Diaz' better performances as well. A very good comedy that's sure to make you laugh. There's Something About Mary is one of the essential Farrelly Brothers films to watch. Definitely a film that you'll remember for years after you've seen it.
Eric A

Blunt, crude humor is always good.
Bethany M

Cameron Diaz is extremely funny and the hair gel scene was absolutely hilarious. Great film despite me not liking Ben Stiller all that much.
Brad W

A classic comedy, who hates this needs to get a funny bone. Some of the stuff in this movie is comedy gold, and this is the best comedy made by the Farrellys Brothers. The story is really good for a comedy. This movie is a cult classic, I love it.
Jameson W

I can't believe I had previously given this film 2 stars. It's so great, and hilarious! I absolutely love Ben Stiller, Cameron Diaz, and Matt Dillon in this movie!
Richard C

B+
Lady D

Whilst Ben Stiller's humour seems to have run it's course and ideas for his films are running dry, this happens to be one of the funny early ones. Ironically it's the non-comedy Actor; Matt Dillon who appears the funniest in this throughout. Some very funny… More
Whilst Ben Stiller's humour seems to have run it's course and ideas for his films are running dry, this happens to be one of the funny early ones. Ironically it's the non-comedy Actor; Matt Dillon who appears the funniest in this throughout. Some very funny moments and so long since I'd previously see this, it was like watching for the first time again.
Spencer S

Goofy Farrelly brothers are the best, and their offbeat drummer plays a symphony all his own, of absurdity.
Alexis N

i love this movie for some reason. i could watch it everyday and i did.. in high school. i would come home, sit in front of my space heater and watch this movie over and over again. i'm pretty sure my parents thought i had some undiagnosed brain damage.
MisterYoda ?

There are these three guys out after Mary (Cameron Diaz), or maybe four or five or six, depending on how you count. The most important are, first, Ben Stiller, the shy nobody who has had a crush on her since high school in Providence, Rhode Island. Years later he learns Mary lives in… More
There are these three guys out after Mary (Cameron Diaz), or maybe four or five or six, depending on how you count. The most important are, first, Ben Stiller, the shy nobody who has had a crush on her since high school in Providence, Rhode Island. Years later he learns Mary lives in Florida, and Stiller hires a sly and self-promoting private investigator (Matt Dillon) to track her down and bring back a report. Then there is a faux Englishman (Lee Evans) trying to insinuate himself into Mary's life space by posing as a victim of polio or something. Even more devious in his obsession is Stiller's friend Woogie, crippled by a nervous rash. A football player is tossed in at the end, and an older guy who has been cultivating Mary's neighbor in order to get a crack at Mary. It's understandable. When Dillon brings back his intelligence on Diaz, he tells Stiller that she weighs several hundred pounds, is confined to a wheelchair, has had four illegitimate children, and lives in a housing project. But the fact is Cameron Diaz is radiant. She's tall, slender, a little goofy, morally upright, and a doctor to boot. The movie is anything but politically correct or delicate in any way. The writers have dived head first into the energetic gags, which follow one another almost instantly and range from silly (the masturbation scene) to merely reckless. (Dillon learns that Mary finds pearly white teeth sexy so he has his teeth modified, giving him a toothpaste-ad grin and a slight lisp.) I don't know how much I want to get into this because, inasmuch as the movie is a series of jokes, any description of unfolding events or character will give some of the jokes away. Well, let me say at least that I laughed most at the scene in which Matt Dillon has tranquilized Diaz's little dog so that it doesn't reject him on their first meeting. The problem is that the dog ODs and goes into cardiac arrest. With Diaz out of the room momentarily, Dillon is forced to perform CPR on the dog. When that doesn't work he yanks some electrical cords out of a lamp and tries to revive the animal with electric shock. The dog begins to sputter with sparks and his fur catches fire. I'll leave it at that. Comedies about "romance" generally call for a sobering statement at the end, in which all is explained and the moral spelled out for the viewer. The Farrelly brothers have included such a scene but it's mercifully brief. "They were only after you because you made them feel good about themselves." You'll hardly notice the pain. You know how some comedies are toned down, subtle, and require attention to be fully appreciated? This is the opposite.
Lewis C

It's the rare comedy that's even funnier the second time you watch it, than it was the first. Something about Mary fits that definition perfectly. It's one of the most memorable Ben Stiller comedies, for a lot of reasons. The story itself isn't something that we… More
It's the rare comedy that's even funnier the second time you watch it, than it was the first. Something about Mary fits that definition perfectly. It's one of the most memorable Ben Stiller comedies, for a lot of reasons. The story itself isn't something that we haven't seen been before, but it's told exceptionally well and flows quickly from hilarious situation to hilarious situation. Ben Stiller and Cameron Diaz have great on-screen chemistry, even though a lot of their time is spent with their equally funny co-stars. And it's nice to be reminded of how gorgeous she was in her younger days. Be prepared to wince and cover your eyes a few times, because some of the funniest moments in the movie are also the hardest to watch. Overly tanned boobs, painful crotch accidents, and masturbation jokes, are all par for the course. Something about Mary is raunchy, hysterical, and worth watching again and again.
Nicki M

Rewatched this recently. Got to love it. There is such a thing as too many watches as I think I am approaching it, but there's still a few scenes in this that make me laugh every time. The zipper scene for example, and Mary's "Dad" is hilarious. The phony… More
Rewatched this recently. Got to love it. There is such a thing as too many watches as I think I am approaching it, but there's still a few scenes in this that make me laugh every time. The zipper scene for example, and Mary's "Dad" is hilarious. The phony architect on crutches always makes me laugh too. This would have to be one of Ben Stiller's better films, and Cameron Diaz at her best here too.
Carlos M

Unforgiving and outrageous in its extremely politically incorrect humour, this is a hilarious and delicious comedy that will leave your stomach and ribs aching from so much laughing.
Conner R

Probably one of Ben Stiller's better roles and a nice effort from the Farrelly brothers. I really liked the crazy characters, especially Matt Dillon and his capped teeth. It was a well written story and almost everything you could ask for in a raunchy comedy. Cameron Diaz played… More
Probably one of Ben Stiller's better roles and a nice effort from the Farrelly brothers. I really liked the crazy characters, especially Matt Dillon and his capped teeth. It was a well written story and almost everything you could ask for in a raunchy comedy. Cameron Diaz played a perfect muse and you could see exactly why she has about 6 men crawling over her.
Anthony L

This isn?t really my kind of film but I went to see it with a couple of old friends and we wet ourselves, so for that reason, it gets more stars from me! Happy days.
Jason O

"There's Something About Mary" is a good example of a hilarious comedy movie. Cameron Diaz is Mary, who every man wants. Ben Stiller plays as the guy who has had an infatuation for Mary for years, and still does, and now he's trying harder than ever to get her… More
"There's Something About Mary" is a good example of a hilarious comedy movie. Cameron Diaz is Mary, who every man wants. Ben Stiller plays as the guy who has had an infatuation for Mary for years, and still does, and now he's trying harder than ever to get her attention. But he has some obstacles to overcome in the form of a number of other guys who are also trying to get a date with Mary. This movie is funny just about all the way through. Some of the funniest parts are when you see the dog that is bandaged up like a mummy, and when Cameron Diaz puts a different kind of hair gel in her hair and makes it stand straight up. Unlike a lot of comedy movies, this movie has an understandable plot, while it's hilarious at the same time. If you like great comedy movies, I recommend getting "There's Something About Mary." NOTE: That was my Amazon review from the year 2000. Even if you've just seen it once, there will be some funny parts you'll never forget!
EightThirty .

Classic...Crack up Film!!! XD ha ha ha ^_^
Chris W

One of the most outrageous and wacky films of the 90's. Funny to no end.
Arash X

Nauseous, Makes Dumb & Dumber look like a masterpiece, Not even Matt Dillon could save it