Review of 'Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond'

This documentary tells the story of how Jim Carey literally took on the personality of the late Andy Kaufman when filming Kaufman's biopic “Man On The Moon” (1999). It is truly disturbing to see how Jim was completely consumed by Kaufman's…unusual personality…including even becoming Kaufman's alter-ego Tony Clifton, a brash, foul-mouthed, selfish, sexist oaf with a very poor dress sense. Kaufman was known for his anti-comedy - “His work sits at the intersection of absurdity, performance art, and elaborate hoax, often leaving viewers unsure whether they were witnessing a joke, a character study, or a provocation.” (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Andy-Kaufman). Jim, whose interview serves as a narrative structure for the film, explains how he seeks to inhabit the characters he portrays in his films and here it is to such an extent that those that knew Kaufman were treating Jim as though he really was Kaufman. This includes Danny Devito who was involved in the production of “Man on the Moon” and worked with Kaufman on the TV series “Taxi” as well as the director of “Man on the Moon” itself, Miloš Forman, and even Kaufman's father Stanley Kaufman. Not only is it disturbing to see Jim completely losing his personal identity but it is also the maniacal personality of Kaufman which introduces chaos everywhere - Wearing a paper bag over his head and driving vehicles around (with predictable results); Walking off the set at any time; Goading a famous wrestler to such an extent that physical violence ensues.

If this all sounds confusing, it absolutely is. At first you laugh at the antics but a short time later it is no longer funny and the rest of the film is a long, drawn-out disturbing sequence of events that get more and more painful to watch. The production company of “Man on the Moon” wanted very much to supress the behind the scenes footage used here for fear it would make Carey look like an egotistical monster but in reality it shows how he was completely consumed by the personality of Kaufman…I am not sure on whom this shows more badly: On Carey for allowing it to happen or on Kaufman for having such a disturbing personality in the first place.

This is a disturbing film that I hesitated watching for quite some time as I had heard a bit about what it contained. This was absolutely right - I found this an uncomfortable film to watch as it drags through uncomfortable scene after uncomfortable scene all the way up to the “Man on the Moon” wrap party (which “Tony Clifton” attends). I am not sure why I kept watching, perhaps to see how it turns out in the end but even this turns out to be not entirely satisfactory, only concluding that this is the way it was…

Rating: “It is OK but I have some issues”

Review Date: 2026-08-16

Directed by: Chris Smith

Studio: Vice Studios

Year: 2017

Length: 94 minutes

Genre: Documentary

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7214762/