There's Something About Mary

Right now you can watch There's Something About Mary in Australia on Disney Plus, and in the US on Netflix and fuboTV — and it is funnier than its reputation suggests. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. 5,403 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Cameron Diaz's performance alone is worth the time investment. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Disney Plus.

There's Something About Mary is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. The jokes in There's Something About Mary land because the characters underneath them are worth caring about. For Ted, prom night went about as bad as it’s possible for any night to go. Thirteen years later, he finally gets another chance with his old prom date, only to run up against other suitors including the sleazy detective he hired to find her. Between them, Cameron Diaz and Matt Dillon carry the comedy without ever forcing it. It was released in 1998. The real test of any comedy is whether it is still funny once you know all the jokes, and There's Something About Mary holds up on rewatch in a way that separates it from one-off curiosities. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Comedy fans looking for a reliably funny watch will find it in There's Something About Mary. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Cameron Diaz is funny in a way that holds up on rewatch. Put it on when you need something guaranteed to land.