Me, Myself & Irene
| Me, Myself & Irene | |
|---|---|
| A poster showing Carrey's face split in half Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | |
| Written by |
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| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Mark Irwin |
| Edited by | Christopher Greenbury |
| Music by |
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Production companies | |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
Release date |
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Running time | 116 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | 51ドル million[2] |
| Box office | 149ドル.3 million[2] |
Me, Myself & Irene is a 2000 American slapstick black comedy film [3] produced, co-written, and directed by the Farrelly brothers, and starring Jim Carrey and Renée Zellweger. The film centers around a Rhode Island state trooper named Charlie Baileygates (Carrey) who, after years of continuously suppressing his feelings, suffers a psychotic breakdown that results in a second personality, Hank Evans, and must deal with his newfound condition while escorting a woman named Irene (Zellweger) who is being hunted by her mob-affiliated ex-boyfriend. Chris Cooper, Robert Forster, and Richard Jenkins also star.
This was the Farrelly brothers' second film with Carrey since Dumb and Dumber (1994). Filming was done from May 11 to July 29, 1999, in various locations in Rhode Island and Vermont.
Me, Myself & Irene was released by 20th Century Fox on June 23, 2000, and was a box office success. It received mixed reviews from film critics.[4] [5] [6]
Plot
[edit ]Meek veteran Rhode Island state trooper Charlie Baileygates has been taken advantage of by those around him, including his wife Layla. Almost immediately after their wedding, she begins to cheat on Charlie with their wedding limo chauffeur, Shonté, a black little person with a genius-level IQ.
Despite his friends warning him of Layla's infidelity, Charlie denies it, even after she gives birth to biracial triplets, Jamal, Lee Harvey, and Shonté Jr., who also appear to be geniuses. A few years later, Layla leaves with Shonté, abandoning the children with Charlie, who raises them as his own. While they love and respect Charlie, the rest of the town continually abuses him. After years of such treatment, he develops a split personality named "Hank Evans" to deal with confrontations Charlie avoids: Emerging whenever Charlie is under extreme stress, Hank is an over-the-top, rude, and violent persona reminiscent of characters played by Clint Eastwood.[7] A psychiatrist prescribes medication to keep Hank suppressed.
Believing Charlie needs a vacation, his commanding officer orders him to escort beautiful Irene Waters from Rhode Island to Massena, New York, where she reportedly committed a hit-and-run. Irene insists her mob-connected ex-boyfriend Dickie fabricated the accusation to keep her from revealing his illegal activities to the authorities.
In Massena, Charlie turns over Irene to two EPA agents. A hitman with a contract on Irene kills one of the agents. She and Charlie flee, hastily leaving his medication behind, which causes Hank to emerge frequently. Charlie is unjustly blamed for the murder. FBI agents begin pursuing him and Irene, as do Boshane and Gerke, two crooked police officers on Dickie's payroll. The chase becomes a media spectacle, alerting Charlie's sons to his predicament.
Charlie and Irene return to Rhode Island, bonding along the way. Although Irene is taken by Charlie's personality, Hank worries her, as his aggressive personality and overestimation of his own toughness often gets them into trouble. Along the way, they pick up "Whitey", a waiter with albinism who claims to have killed his entire family. While stopping at a motel, Hank convinces Irene to have sex with him by impersonating Charlie. When Charlie realizes what happened the next morning, he is incensed and begins fighting with Hank. They are almost ambushed by Boshane and Gerke, but Charlie's sons, having found them, steal a police helicopter and call in a false report, stating Charlie and Irene have been apprehended in the woods nearby.
Charlie and Irene leave Whitey at the motel and board a train to Rhode Island. Dickie boards the same train, having been ordered by his police allies to "get his hands dirty". He kidnaps Irene, and Charlie chases him, working together with Hank to save her. Hank balks when Dickie heads onto a bridge, but Charlie finally faces his fears, thus permanently nullifying Hank. As Charlie tries to disarm Dickie, Dickie shoots off Charlie's thumb. Whitey then throws a lawn dart at Dickie, hitting him from behind and killing him.
Charlie and Irene fall from the bridge into the river below, where his sons arrive to rescue them. Regrouping with Whitey, Charlie apologizes for making him kill again, but Whitey reveals he made up his backstory, fearing Hank. The police arrive, quickly learning of Irene's plight. Gerke and Boshane are arrested, Charlie is praised for bringing them to justice, and Irene is cleared of the charges against her.
Irene prepares to leave Rhode Island when the police pull her over, but this is only a diversion so Charlie can propose, which she happily accepts.
In a post-credits scene, everyone looks for Charlie's thumb in the river. Whitey finds it, but a fish eats it.
Cast
[edit ]- Jim Carrey as Charlie Baileygates / Hank Evans
- Renée Zellweger as Irene P. Waters
- Chris Cooper as Lt. Gerke
- Robert Forster as Colonel Partington
- Richard Jenkins as Agent Boshane
- Rob Moran as Trooper Finneran
- Anthony Anderson as Jamal Baileygates
- Jeremy Maleek Leggett as nine-year-old Jamal Baileygates
- Mongo Brownlee as Lee Harvey Baileygates
- Andrew Phillips as nine-year-old Lee Harvey Baileygates
- Jerod Mixon as Shonté Jr. Baileygates
- Justin Chandler as nine-year-old Shonté Jr. Baileygates
- Michael Bowman as Casper ("Whitey")
- Zen Gesner as Agent Peterson
- Traylor Howard as Layla Baileygates
- Daniel Greene as Dickie Thurman
- Tony Cox as Shonté Jackson - Limo Driver
- Mike Cerrone as Officer Stubie
- John-Eliot Jordan as Pizza Boy
- Steve Tyler as Delivery Room Doctor
- Richard Tyson as Gun shop owner
- Ezra Buzzington as Disabled guy
- Shannon Whirry as Breastfeeding mom
- Lin Shaye (deleted scenes) as Mrs. Caleron
- Lina Teal as Bikini girl
- Anna Kournikova, Cam Neely and Brendan Shanahan appear in cameo roles
- Rex Allen Jr. as the Narrator
- Richard Pryor as Stand-Up Comedian on TV (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Chris Rock as Stand-Up Comedian on TV (archive footage) (uncredited)
Production
[edit ]Jim Carrey had been announced to star in the film in March 1999.[8] Principal photography began in Jamestown, Rhode Island on May 11, 1999.[9]
During the scene where Charlie is breastfeeding a mother, Carrey accidentally breast-fed Whirry's real breasts as he thought she was wearing a prosthetic breast; he later became humiliated when he found out that was her real breasts.[10]
Music
[edit ]The film's original score was written by Pete Yorn, while the movie's soundtrack contains eight covers of Steely Dan songs.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Breakout" (Foo Fighters) | Foo Fighters |
| 3:21 |
| 2. | "Do It Again" (Smash Mouth) |
| 3:57 | |
| 3. | "Deep Inside of You" (Third Eye Blind) | Stephan Jenkins |
| 4:10 |
| 4. | "Totalimmortal" (The Offspring) | AFI | Butch Vig | 2:50 |
| 5. | "The World Ain't Slowin' Down" (Ellis Paul) | Ellis Paul | Jerry Marotta | 4:48 |
| 6. | "Any Major Dude Will Tell You" (Wilco) |
| Wilco | 3:06 |
| 7. | "Only a Fool Would Say That" (Ivy) |
| 3:03 | |
| 8. | "Can't Find the Time to Tell You" (Hootie & the Blowfish) | Bruce Arnold | Jerry Harrison | 2:47 |
| 9. | "Bodhisattva" (Brian Setzer Orchestra) |
| 5:41 | |
| 10. | "Bad Sneakers" (The Push Stars) |
|
| 3:15 |
| 11. | "Reelin' In the Years" (Marvelous 3) |
| 3:26 | |
| 12. | "Strange Condition" (Pete Yorn) | Pete Yorn |
| 4:33 |
| 13. | "Barrytown" (Ben Folds Five) |
| Caleb Southern | 3:48 |
| 14. | "Razor Boy" (Billy Goodrum) |
|
| 3:45 |
| 15. | "Where He Can Hide" (Tom Wolfe) | Tom Wolfe | Tom Wolfe | 3:35 |
"Motherfucker" by The Dwarves, "Fire Like This" by Hardknox, "Don't Say You Don't Remember" by Beverly Bremers, "The Perpetrator" by Hipster Daddy-O and the Handgrenades, "Love Me Cha Cha" by Jimmy Luxury, "Hem of Your Garment" by Cake, and "Highway Patrol" by Junior Brown were included in the movie, but not on the soundtrack. Pete Yorn's "Just Another" can also be heard in the background, during the scene where they discuss Hank's idea. Alta Mira's "El Capitan" can be heard in the background during the scene where Hank fights Charlie at the train station.
Release
[edit ]Home media
[edit ]Me, Myself & Irene was released on VHS on January 9, 2001, and on DVD on January 23, 2001, by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.[12] The DVD version includes deleted scenes, an audio commentary, trailers and TV spots, the Foo Fighters "Breakout" music video, behind-the-scenes footage, an extended branching version option, galleries, and DVD-ROM.[13] This release is also THX certified and features two menus themed to Charlie and Hank, and a hidden Easter egg.[13] The film was later released on Blu-ray on February 5, 2008.[14]
Reception
[edit ]Box office
[edit ]Me, Myself & Irene opened at number one above Chicken Run on the weekend of June 23, 2000, making 24ドル.2 million in its opening weekend.[15] [16] Playing at 3,019 theaters upon opening, the film had the widest release of Jim Carrey's career, surpassing Liar Liar .[17] It managed to beat out Life to achieve the highest opening weekend for a non-sequel R-rated comedy film.[17] The film earned 90,570,999ドル in the United States, and a further 58,700,000ドル internationally, for a worldwide total of 149,270,999ドル.[2]
Me, Myself & Irene collected 1ドル.9 million from its opening weekend in the United Kingdom, reaching the number one spot ahead of Scary Movie and Space Cowboys .[18] It fell into third place behind below Hollow Man and Billy Elliot in its second weekend with 1ドル.2 million.[19] Meanwhile, in Australia, the film beat Mission: Impossible 2 to top the box office, making 1ドル.6 million during its first weekend.[20] [21] It also ranked third behind Gladiator and Jet Set in its opening weekend in France, earning 682,000ドル.[20]
Critical response
[edit ]Review website Rotten Tomatoes gave Me, Myself & Irene a score of 47%, based on 102 reviews, and an average rating of 5.4/10, with the consensus that "While Jim Carrey's comedic skills earn some laughs, Me, Myself & Irene sports a tired, unsatisfying plot."[5] Online review aggregator Metacritic states the film has a score of 49 out of a possible 100, based on 35 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[6] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B−" on an A+ to F scale.[4]
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film a negative review, describing it as "a labored and sour comedy" and criticizing the film for relying on repetitive gags and an unfocused plot, though he acknowledged Carrey's expressive physical performance.[22] Bob Longino of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution explained that "it's too bad, then, that Me, Myself & Irene is clueless when it comes to constructing a plot with which to thread the powerful jokes."[23]
Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times similarly criticized the film's relentless crude humor, calling it exhausting rather than entertaining, despite praising Carrey's ability to shift between personalities.[24]
Similarly, Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian described the film as cheerfully offensive and deliberately tasteless, highlighting its reliance on provocative humor and exaggerated comedic situations.[25] Jay Boyar of The Orlando Sentinel stated that "some of it just seems tedious and repetitive, as if the Farrelly brothers couldn't decide where to take their Jekyll and Hyde idea."[26]
In a 2020 interview with YouTube channel "Capital Buzz", Jim Carrey named the movie among his personal Top Five favorite films he worked on, alongside The Cable Guy , Ace Ventura: Pet Detective , Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind , and The Truman Show .
Accolades
[edit ]At the 2000 Teen Choice Awards, Jim Carrey won the Choice Summer Movie Wipeout category for his work on Me, Myself & Irene, beating Jason Biggs, Tom Cruise, and Martin Lawrence's respective works on Loser , Mission: Impossible 2 , and Big Momma's House .[27] The film received a nomination for Choice Summer Movie, which ultimately went to Scary Movie .[27]
Controversy
[edit ]On June 9, 2000, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) sent a letter to 20th Century Fox, arguing that the film contains an inaccurate portrayal of Dissociative Identity Disorder. In the letter, NAMI executive president Lauire Flynn argued that "Me, Myself & Irene perpetuates a myth that schizophrenia—a severe, biologically-based brain disorder—is a split personality", and criticized how Fox was "seeking to dismiss such concerns with claims that the film is 'only a comedy'", stating that "for millions of Americans, schizophrenia and other mental illnesses are no laughing matter". NAMI asked Fox to release Public Service Announcements explaining real-life schizophrenia and DID, and Jim Carrey to explain the differences between schizophrenia and DID during interviews promoting the film.[28]
References
[edit ]- ↑ "Me, Myself & Irene". American Film Institute . Retrieved June 24, 2025.
- 1 2 3 "Me, Myself and Irene". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on June 26, 2015. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
- ↑ Michael Blanding & Alexandra Hall (February 11, 2014). Moon Handbooks Vermont. Moon Publications. ISBN 9781612381008.[dead link ]
- 1 2 "Home". CinemaScore. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
- 1 2 "Me, Myself & Irene". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on April 9, 2022. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
- 1 2 "Me, Myself & Irene". Metacritic. Archived from the original on October 2, 2024. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
- ↑ Saathof, Evan (June 30, 2015). "The Split Tonal Personality Of ME, MYSELF, & IRENE A look at the Farrelly Brothers' funniest drama". Birth.Movies.Death. Birth. Movies. Death. Archived from the original on June 24, 2016. Retrieved May 22, 2016.
Sometimes Charlie is Charlie; sometimes he is Hank, a mean jerk who sounds like a bad Clint Eastwood impression and doesn't take any guff from anyone.
- ↑ Petrikin, Chris (March 25, 1999). "Fox, Carrey, Farrellys all preen for 'Irene'". Variety . Retrieved June 7, 2026.
- ↑ "Filmakers coming to Rhode Island again" . The Day. May 10, 1999. p. 17. Archived from the original on June 7, 2026. Retrieved June 7, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Wolf, Jeanne (June 21, 2000). "Carrey Caught Red-Faced". TVGuide.com. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
- ↑ Me, Myself & Irene: Music from the Motion Picture (booklet). Elektra. 2000.
- ↑ Tribbey, Ralph (November 2, 2000). "Fox Tests DVD Release Lag on Jim Carrey's 'Me, Myself and Irene'". hive4media.com. Archived from the original on January 10, 2001. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
- 1 2 "Me, Myself & Irene: Special Edition (2000)". www.dvdmg.com.
- ↑ "Me, Myself and Irene Blu-ray". Archived from the original on February 15, 2022. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
- ↑ Goodridge, Mike (June 25, 2000). "Carrey tops US box office, Chickens in at two". Screen International . Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
- ↑ "Me, Myself and Irene Weekend Box Office Results". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on October 2, 2024. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
- 1 2 Gray, Brandon (June 26, 2000). "Weekend Box Office". Box Office Mojo . Archived from the original on August 11, 2023. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ↑ "Irene opens well but doesn't live up to Mary".
- ↑ Scott, Mary (October 2, 2000). "Hollow Man beats Billy Elliot to number one spot". Screendaily.
- 1 2 Groves, Don (June 27, 2000). "'Mission' in control o'seas". Variety . Retrieved June 13, 2026.
- ↑ Groves, Don (July 5, 2000). "'60' speeds by 'Storm' preem in Oz". Variety . Retrieved June 14, 2026.
- ↑ Ebert, Roger (June 23, 2000). "Me, Myself & Irene movie review". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved April 18, 2026 – via RogerEbert.com.
- ↑ Longino, Bob (June 23, 2000). "Gag's the word in gross but funny 'Me, Myself & Irene'" . Atlanta Journal-Constitution. p. 102. Archived from the original on July 9, 2026. Retrieved July 9, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Turan, Kenneth (June 23, 2000). "Call It Crude and Cruder". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 18, 2026.
- ↑ Bradshaw, Peter (September 22, 2000). "Me, Myself and Irene". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077 . Retrieved April 18, 2026.
- ↑ Boyar, Jay (June 23, 2000). "Carrey times 2" . The Orlando Sentinel. p. 92. Archived from the original on May 29, 2026. Retrieved May 29, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- 1 2 "Teen Choice Awards".
- ↑ "NAMI Protests "Me, Myself & Irene"". National Alliance on Mental Illness. June 9, 2000. Archived from the original on September 26, 2020. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
External links
[edit ]- Me, Myself & Irene at IMDb
- Me, Myself & Irene at Box Office Mojo
- Me, Myself & Irene at Rotten Tomatoes
- 2000 films
- 2000 black comedy films
- 2000 romantic comedy films
- 2000 American films
- 2000s comedy road movies
- 2000 English-language films
- 20th Century Fox films
- Albinism in popular culture
- American black comedy films
- American comedy road movies
- American romantic comedy films
- American slapstick comedy films
- English-language black comedy films
- English-language romantic comedy films
- Films about dissociative identity disorder
- Films directed by the Farrelly brothers
- Films set in Rhode Island
- Films shot in Rhode Island
- Films shot in Vermont
- Films with screenplays by the Farrelly brothers
- Teen Choice Award–winning films