There’s Something About Mary (1998)

Even though there weren’t as much promotional advertisements, this film became the highest crossing film of 1998 in North America, and the fourth highest crossing film of the year. Cameron Diaz had mainly side-parts beforehand, including The Mask, which was her first ever theoretical film. However, this was the film that catapulted her career to a new level, and from then on she was the main role in most of her films afterwards. Ben Stiller’s career also benefited from this film; more people and studios became interested in his work, giving him plenty more opportunities, and two years later, he stared Meet the Parents, and three years later, he stared in Zoolander.

People’s assumption that a beautiful girl at school is out of every boy’s league, who isn’t an athletic or a macho character. This film turns all this upside down. Mary (played by Cameron Diaz) is just Mary who is drawn to kindness in people, this is seen when Ted (played by Ben Stiller) rescues Mary’s brother from being bullied. She sees beyond what some men may look at as undesirable, when it comes to being attracted to someone like her.

Thirteen years after Mary and Ted have left school, Ted wants to track Mary down. His first mistake is sending someone to spy on her, for the spy only to take advantage and goes to ask Mary out himself. The second mistake was that Ted believed what he was being told and decided not to go and find Mary himself, until luckily he is told the truth. When the lies are being told this is horrible to watch and I hoped he would find out the truth eventually. I was also left thinking ‘why doesn’t he go and find her anyway even after what he has heard’.

Mary leaves an impression in wherever she has been and on whoever has met her. Men become obsessed with her. Most notable among the other characters, Mary gets a visit from Tucker (played by Lee Evans) who’s on crutches. This leads to lies being told to impress her and twists in characters I didn’t see coming, but are amusing and surprising to watch, especially if you forget what lies have actually been told.

There have been almost an uncountable amount of films and TV shows centred around the underdog story, but this was one of the most popular, because it added something new, and that’s the realism. It’s a heart-warming, hopeful story that gets you thinking. Many people have jumped to the conclusion that they are out of someone’s league, when in reality, they are what the other person is looking for, all they have to do is step forward. This film shows that much better than most other films, with a comedic element. The blend of comedy and seriousness is balanced well to increase the impact, and allow you to see the message it hopes to give. This allows the film to still be relevant today, and will continue to be true to life in the future.

The film is perfectly titled; a funny and a real feel-good movie with a fantastic idea. It shows that there is hope for when people may assume, and if they feel, are the underdogs of life.