Man on the moon [DVD]

Jim Carrey won accolades for his performance as real life comedian Andy Kaufman in this bio-pic directed by Milos Foreman (One who flew over the cuckoos nest, Amadeus, The People vs. Larry Flint). With a brand of humour bordering on the profane, Kaufman measured the success of routines by the degree of offence taken by the audience. The film plots Kaufman’s rise through the stand-up ranks, until he graduated to television roles, the most famous of which was on the US TV comedy show “Taxi”. Danny de Vito plays George Shapiro, Kaufman’s manager who identified him as a true talent (perhaps even a genius) where others saw him as an annoying imbecile. The film tracks Kaufman’s romance to Lynne Margulies (Courtney Love), the trials faced by increasing fame and his need to continuously push the boundaries of acceptable material. Kaufman would often perform routines under an alias unbeknownst to those around him, including other cast and crew members. Foreman avoids delving into the motivations or psychology behind Kaufman’s peculiar artistic expression, opting instead for detailed reproductions of Kaufman’s many routines and characterisations.