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SummaryJim Carrey stars as the late Andy Kaufman, who was considered one of the most innovative, eccentric and enigmatic performers of his time. [Universal Pictures]

Man on the Moon

Metascore
58
User score
Generally Favorable
7.5
My Score
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Metascore
58
47% Positive
16 Reviews
50% Mixed
17 Reviews
3% Negative
1 Review
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100
New York Post
Less a conventional biography than a performance film - one that stuns and delights.
80
Time
Just gives us Andy, the pop postmodernist, and permits us to make what we will of him, which is a fascinating activity.
User score
Generally Favorable
7.5
75% Positive
74 Ratings
21% Mixed
21 Ratings
4% Negative
4 Ratings
  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
Jan 22, 2026
10
famfacat
The rhythmic machinery of a metaphysical prankster: A 5.0-star sensational surge of raw, high-tension performance.2012(5.0)I watched Man on the Moon in 2012, and it remains a visceral 5.0-star pillar of existential rebellion in my archive—a raw revelation of how a sensational commitment to a persona can dismantle the stagnant boundaries between reality and fiction. This experience **** the fourth wall of the biopic by infusing Jim Carrey’s raw, transcendent energy into a narrative rhythm that felt 100% sophisticated and sensational. The narrative rhythm was far from stagnant; instead, it offered a rhythmic journey through the pathetic vulnerability of Andy Kaufman and the raw, confrontational wit of Tony Clifton, leaving me in a state of absolute hororong as the "Mighty Mouse" theme redefined the boundaries of high-tension comedy. Seeing the vivid, heartbreaking sincerity behind the sensational pranks provided an emotional payoff that felt both raw and sensational, proving that a story about a "song and dance man" could be a vivid act of storytelling rebellion against stagnant celebrity worship. The 95% preservation of my memory is dominated by the rhythmic, raw silence of a fake heart attack and the vivid but pathetic struggle to remain misunderstood, creating a permanent, sensational scar of tragic brilliance on my soul. Unlike the stagnant 2.0-star drift of Batman Forever, this encounter possessed a rebellious soul that turned a pathetic career into a sensational masterpiece of truth. It stands in my 2012 record as a powerful 5.0-star testament to the raw power of the performer—a high-tension encounter with the vivid rhythm of the prank that remains one of the most chewy artifacts of my cinematic journey.
Oct 19, 2021
10
Habibiehakim
90% of the film i see Andy Kaufman, and not Jim Carrey, the way he move, the look, and the best is the way he talk, that's how incredible Jim Carrey is playing the late great Andy Kaufman's, Man On The Moon tells a story about a life of Andy Kaufman, a very unique person, and he is truly one in a billion, and so do the movie, you are not gonna see a biopic movie about a guy that's funny then he showed his skill to the world then he succeed to become a great comedian, Andy Kaufman is a guy that is funny but he is anti-comedy, he describe himself as more of a entertainer and that's what people always see and think him wrong, and all of that was translated very well in the film and i hope everybody can really understand the real Andy Kaufman from Man On The Moon because this is such a great movie, i highly recommended.
75
USA Today
A movie of moments whose ultimate legacy may be to get Carrey out of formula comedies forever.
60
L.A. Weekly
The sort of sick humor even Andy Kaufman would have recognized as well beyond the pale.
50
TV Guide Magazine
Milos Forman's film is a series of incredible simulations that never quite cohere into a movie.
40
Village Voice
The filmmakers don't even attempt to give Kaufman an inner life.
30
Variety
Never comes close to making the case that its subject is worthy of the viewer's interest.
See All 34 Critic Reviews
Apr 21, 2020
10
LEOvsMAO
Beautiful film, but as I see not for everyone. Kaufman would smile that fact. Rest In Peace - genius.
Oct 19, 2017
6
Meth-dude
It was a pretty interesting biopic. Jim Carrey portrayed Andy Kaufman very well and the movie had a couple of good moments, unfortunately, it was also a little bit boring and we didn't learn anything new. You should watch it if you like Kaufman or Carrey, but if not, you can find better biopics out there.
Dec 16, 2013
6
Spangle
Ok movie right here. Jim Carrey kills it, however, the rest of movie feels as though it's missing something, like something feels a little off (which I guess is appropriate).
Feb 21, 2025
5
drqshadow
Andy Kaufman, the enigmatic, often inexplicable comic mastermind, gets a glossy Hollywood biopic, complete with a high visibility big-name plunge in the headline role. Man on the Moon gets the optics right, documenting the star’s most memorable gags amongst the din of a cigarette-stained 1970s comedy club (or network studio), and an inspired Jim Carrey clearly spent a lot of time and effort refining Kaufman’s childish charms and odd contradictions. The connecting biographical bits are lackluster at best, though, and the film’s determination to force-feed its own reality-bending meta mechanisms is more trouble than it’s worth. At least the performances are good. Carrey really threw himself into this role, ruffling feathers with his dedication to method acting, and the results are worthwhile. Costars Paul Giamatti and Danny DeVito (who also produced) shoulder their share of the load as caring lifelong co-conspirators; a pair of sharp guys who alternate between blithely pressing buttons alongside the mad genius and being involuntarily pulled in his wake. There’s genuine sweetness in Carrey’s on-screen pairing with Courtney Love, who plays a composite of several Kaufman girlfriends. That’s a range I didn’t realize she had, a tricky mix of her usual no-frills, street-smart **** and the compassionate soulmate who visibly understands, appreciates and accepts the troubled star in his troubled later life. Director Milos Forman worked with Love three years earlier, in The People vs. Larry Flynt, and must’ve seen something in her that the rest of us didn’t. On that note, I was shocked to learn this was directed by the same man who brought us Amadeus and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. I guess it had been fifteen years since those films and his career was now well into its final act, but still, Man on the Moon feels awfully soft; an incomplete drama at best. For a story with so much real, unique flavor, it’s also dreadfully bland, with a far heavier focus on replicating its subject’s big career moments than understanding his own odd personality. Carrey’s rendition of Kaufman is noteworthy, and Andy’s bizarre comedy portfolio is always worth revisiting, but the film adds nothing to those beats and the original material is better enjoyed on its own.
Aug 1, 2019
1
beeanadou
Not entertaining at all. Don't think most of jokes are interesting at all, perhaps the whole story is mocking the Hollywood Comedy industry, but something's missing to make all of this work, anyway the whole thing is too fake to even judge.
See All 99 User Reviews
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  • Universal Pictures
  • Mutual Film Company
  • Jersey Films
  • Cinehaus
  • Shapiro/West Productions
  • Tele München Fernseh Produktionsgesellschaft (TMG)
  • British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
  • Marubeni
  • Toho-Towa
  • H2L Media Group
Dec 22, 1999
1 h 58 m
R
The story of the man, the myth, the misunderstanding.
Golden Globes, USA
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
Online Film & Television Association
• 1 Win & 5 Nominations
Berlin International Film Festival
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
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