Man on the Moon

It's hard to say whether Andy Kaufman's oddly antagonistic style of humor would have gone over any better in today's politically correct '90s than it did in his own time period: the more laid-back '70s.

One thing is sure: You don't have to enjoy either Kaufman or his unique routines to enjoy "Man on the Moon," filmmaker Milos Forman's biography of the late comedian.

But the real reason to savor the film is to watch yet another surprising performance by the multi-talented, and perhaps underappreciated, Jim Carrey.

In fact, it's a testament to Carrey's riveting, Oscar-nomination-worthy performance as Kaufman that the film works at all. It's not a particularly deep piece, and it's also one that leaves you with more questions than answers about its subject. (Also, many of the film's historical points are questionable.)

Yet, thanks to the one-man dynamo that is Carrey, the film seems more fully developed — if not more philosophical — than it actually is.

"Man on the Moon" attempts to trace Kaufman's story back to his earliest performances, as a child practicing role-playing, pretending to be a television star. Skipping ahead in years, that dream seems almost unattainable for the twentysomething Kaufman, who finds himself performing in front of mostly unenthusiastic comedy-club audiences.

However, talent agent George Shapiro (Danny DeVito) sees something promising about Andy's routines, which include Elvis impersonations and his "foreign man" character. And Shaprio's confidence seems justified after Andy makes a splash on "Saturday Night Live" and receives an offer to co-star in a new sitcom, "Taxi."

To everyone's surprise, Andy turns down the offer. George convinces him to reconsider. But he does so only after negotiating four guest appearances on "Taxi" for obnoxious lounge singer Tony Clifton — which, unbeknownst to George, is actually Andy's bizarre alter-ego.

However, that's just the beginning of increasingly eccentric behavior from the comedian, which also includes dabbling in professional wrestling and seemingly deliberate attempts to offend his television co-stars.

Such behavior also explains why his friends and family have a hard time believing his latest announcement: that he has lung cancer, even though he's a non-smoker.

Screenwriters Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski have shown talent for biographies with earlier works (including "The People vs. Larry Flynt" and "Ed Wood"). But too much of this film revolves around Kaufman's on-stage antics, and not the more tantalizing off-screen action, so that it sort of plays out like a "greatest-hits" package of Kaufman material performed by someone else.

Fortunately, director Milos Forman got the next best thing to Kaufman himself — Carrey.

Though the supporting cast is very good (especially DeVito, and Paul Giamatti as longtime Kaufman collaborator Bob Zmuda), it's Carrey's show. His impersonation is perfect, and in the rare off-screen moments, he doesn't lapse into cartooniness.

"Man on the Moon" is rated R for violent wrestling actions and a few squabbles, profanity, female nudity, use of crude slang terms and some questionable humor, use of racial epithets and brief hospital gore.