The Farrelly brothers movie David Lynch adored: “I thought that was really, really good”
David Lynch and the Farrelly brothers aren’t two entities you would immediately put together. One is one of the most unique creative forces to have ever lived, a completely original mind who changed the face of cinema as we know it. The other, well, they made Shallow Hal.
Peter and Bobby Farrelly began their careers in a big way, earning a co-writing credit on an episode of Seinfeld. Their first movie, Dumb and Dumber, is a comedy classic, but, unfortunately, things would go downhill from there. Me, Myself, & Irene, Hall Pass, the 2014 ‘Three Stooges’ movie, the brothers produced a string of financially successful but critically regretful movies throughout the 21st Century. Things didn’t get much better when they split up. Peter directed a number of segments in the truly dire Movie 43, whilst Bobby made the awful Jack Black Christmas flick Dear Santa. Peter did inexplicably enjoy Oscar success with his movie Green Book, but that’s about it when it comes to major prizes.
Still, at least they can count Lynch among their famous fans. The eccentric director, who sadly passed away in early 2025, spoke to Empire about his appreciation for a certain Farrelly brothers product. “[There’s] Something About Mary – all the dog bits. I like that,” he said when asked which modern comedies he was a fan of. “I like the guy with the crutches who tried to get his keys – that physical gag, I thought that was really, really good, the timing of what he did, and the little sound effect they put in there. I thought he did a really good job.”
There’s Something About Mary is the brothers’ second movie and the follow-up to Dumb and Dumber. Cameron Diaz plays the title character, a beautiful woman who becomes the object of many men’s affection. The film is perhaps best known for its infamous ‘hair gel’ scene, which gave a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘bad hair day’. The film became a rare critical smash for the directing duo. It is still regarded as one of the best comedies of the era and, in the eyes of some, predicted several facets of the modern techno-sexual landscape.
Elsewhere in the interview, Lynch praised the work of French mime and comedic actor Jacques Tati, best known for his ‘Monsieur Hulot’ character. While there are comedic elements to Lynch’s movies, he never made a straight-up laughfest. “I really have a respect for comedy,” he said. “People have said comedy is like mathematics: two and two is four; this and this; you gotta get a laugh. And it’s really difficult, and yet comedies are throwaway things.”
In a separate interview, Lynch revealed his love for the Golden Age star W. C. Fields, particularly the 1934 movie It’s a Gift. It’s clear from both conversations that he preferred a more physical style of comedy, which is why the more slapstick elements of There’s Something About Mary might have appealed to him.
Like all great directors, Lynch took his cue and borrowed from many different sources. His own deeply physical movies are clearly inspired by the great comedies of the past, both distant and recent. He might have seemed like an arty snob at times, but it’s clear that Lynch enjoyed many different branches of the cultural tree.
