Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond - Discussion
I've always had an interest in the behind the scenes of film, specifically one area that always piqued my interest is that of method acting. The idea of taking on a character by becoming that person during and after filming just seems absolutely mesmerizing to me. In today's world Jared Leto is famous for doing this with roles in Suicide Squad and Blade Runner 2049, he is the current standard for this in my opinion. Back in 1999, Jim Carrey was tasked with the role of Andy Kaufman, a role he would never forget undertaking: perhaps for worse reasons than better.
Andy Kaufman was a man who never really cared about keeping the audience laughing or happy, but rather about keeping them curious and wondering about what was to come next in his act (or not according to him). He was a member of SNL in the 90s, and often made questionable decisions that stuck to who he was. He found it necessary to never leave the character he created, so that became his life. When Jim Carrey became Andy Kaufman for Man On The Moon, he was undertaking something that he never anticipated would affect him on the level it did.
Watching Jim immerse himself in the idea of Andy, during and outside film was incredibly satisfying. Although having not seen Man On The Moon myself, I believe that this movie would have been great to have connected to that when it first came out instead of being hidden away from the world until now. The interactions between crew on set and "Andy" are incredible, as Jim refused to break character to risk compromising the character so he was to be treated as the real thing.
The moment I knew this production was something special was when Jim began speaking about meeting with the family and friends of Andy. Word had spread that he was playing Andy so well that many people couldn't tell the difference. Andy's family came to set to speak with their lost son, and it was some of the most touching moments this documentary had to give. Learning that Jim was able to help them receive some necessary closure with their son gave the idea of method acting a new meaning for me.
After Man On The Moon was over, he was unable to remember who in fact he was outside of Andy. Imagine looking at yourself in the mirror and realizing that you don't know who is staring back at you and what you are like. That's the struggle that he faced after finishing the movie, and he had to reestablish who he was through those around him. I never anticipated that level of strength from a documentary about a comedic actor, but this was something special. I don't believe that giving a number rating to a documentary is necessary, but if the making of film or method acting interests you, you need to see this. It will be worth it.
