Jim Carrey will always try to get rid of his joker image. After movies like "Ace Ventura" and the more successful "The Mask", he has tried his hand at being more serious. But even a drama like "The Truman Show" seems to be classified as a comedy, mainly because people expect comedy from Carrey. And you can't blame them. With a face like that, the next best thing to scaring babies would be to sell it as a comic gimmick.

In his latest offering Jim Carrey stars next to other famous names like Danny DeVito (who's had quite a few ups and downs himself in the movie business) and Courtney Love, widow of the late junkie musician, Kurt Cobain. Here we see Carrey tackling a more demanding role as he takes on the life of American comedian Andy Kaufman.

Yes, this is another comedy role for Carrey, with the exception that when you portray the life and times of a real life character, you'll find that life isn't just one big gag. Even comedians have their downside. Andy Kaufman -- whom somehow is unknown to me -- was a comedian that was loved by half of America for his unorthodox type of humour, while the rest detested him. In the downward phase of his career, more than 60% of the viewers of the famous TV Show "Saturday Night Live" voted for Kaufman never to appear ever again.

To explain Andy Kaufman's type of humour would be best supported by an example of my own past. One day I ran into our house and yelled that a truck has just run over dad. Of course my mother charged out in hysterics, and I just stood there laughing myself into a void. The result of this little incident left me with a burning sensation and internal struggle on exactly what is funny, and what not. Kaufman would've loved my joke

MAN ON THE MOON focuses on the life of Kaufman from his rise to stardom and downfall to his subsequent departure due to illness. Danny DeVito plays George Shapiro who was a true loyal manager and friend to Kaufman throughout his career. Paul Giamatti stars as Kaufman's co-writer and close friend Bob Zmuda, while Courtney Love plays Kaufman's love Lynne Margulies.

Overall the movie is quite interesting and insightful on the comedy life of America, but tends to get a bit boring nearer to the end. Even though the movie is about a comedy figure, it is in itself not a comedy, but rather a drama.

-- Jean-Pierre Pellissier