Dumb & Dumber (1994)
12-month trend
12-month trend
Monthly article views
2025-09 to 2026-08
Two dimwitted friends embark on a cross-country road trip to return a briefcase of money, unaware it is actually a ransom payment.
The story
Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunne are two good-hearted but dimwitted best friends and roommates living in Providence, Rhode Island. Lloyd, a chip-toothed limousine driver, becomes smitten with a passenger, Mary Swanson, who is flying to Aspen, Colorado. After she leaves a briefcase at the airport, Lloyd attempts to return it, unaware it contains ransom money for criminals. After both men are fired from their respective jobs, they decide to travel to Aspen in Harry's dog-styled van to return the briefcase. Along the way, they encounter various obstacles and individuals, including a man they mistake for a debt collector, while navigating the complexities of their journey toward Colorado.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunne, two dimwitted friends in Providence, Rhode Island, set off on a road trip to Aspen, Colorado, to return a briefcase left by a woman named Mary Swanson. They are unaware the briefcase contains ransom money. During the trip, they encounter a man named Mental who they mistake for a debt collector; they accidentally kill him with poison while trying to prank him. They eventually reach Aspen, where they discover the money and spend it on a lavish lifestyle. After a series of misunderstandings and a failed attempt to win Mary's affection, they learn the money was for her kidnapped husband. After a confrontation with the mastermind, Nicholas Andre, they are rescued by an FBI agent, Beth. The film ends with the duo traveling home on foot after their belongings are confiscated and their vehicle breaks down.
- First release year
- 1994
- Runtime (minutes)
- 106
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Peter Farrelly
- Writers
- Peter Farrelly · writer; Bobby Farrelly · writer; Bennett Yellin · writer
- Cast and characters
- Jim Carrey · Lloyd Christmas; Jeff Daniels · Harry Dunne; Lauren Holly · Mary Swanson; Charles Rocket · Nicholas Andre; Mike Starr · Joe Mentalino; Karen Duffy · J.P. Shay; Teri Garr · Helen Swanson; Victoria Rowell · Beth Jordan
- Genres
- comedy; road comedy
- Themes
- friendship; misunderstanding
- Tone and mood
- comedy; slapstick
- Premise and plot tags
- road trip; buddy comedy; slapstick
- Source material / true-story basis
- Ski Nuts
- Franchise connections
- Dumb and Dumber
- Content notes
- slapstick
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics but was a commercial success, garnering a cult following.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 69% · scale: percentage · review count: 54; Metacritic · score: 41 · scale: 100 · review count: 14; CinemaScore · score: B · scale: A+ to F
- Production trivia
- The film was originally conceived by John Hughes.; Jim Carrey's chipped tooth was real.; The film spawned an animated TV series and a 2003 prequel.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
Your lists
Loading your lists…