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There's Something About Mary

There's Something About Mary

Love is in the hair.

1998119 minRMidcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
Directors
Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly
Starring
Cameron Diaz, Matt Dillon, Ben Stiller, Lee Evans

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.

Where to watch

Where can I watch There's Something About Mary?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists There's Something About Mary streaming on Disney+ and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about There's Something About Mary?

There's Something About Mary earns 10 badges, led by 10× return and Word-of-mouth hit.

Show 2 more
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is There's Something About Mary worth watching?

There's Something About Mary's Midcredits score is the 79th percentile of all films, from 685K ratings across 6 sources. 72% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

79th percentile

Better received than 79% of films

86th percentile among Comedy81st percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)74th
Approval (how many liked it)81st

68 /100

74th percentile of all films

82nd percentile among Comedy78th percentile among 1990s

Critics 69 · Audience 68

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.1 — solid but not unanimous.

72% liked it

81st percentile of all films

87th percentile among Comedy82nd percentile among 1990s
72% rated it 7–1028% rated it 1–6

Critics 84% · Audience 61%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 15 wins / 17 noms overall

  • NominatedGolden Globes· Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
  • NominatedGolden Globes· Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical

98th percentile

685K ratings across platforms

99th percentile among Comedy98th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 6% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$23M
Opening weekend$14M
Domestic gross$176M
Worldwide gross$370M

Returned 16.1× its budget — 99th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

It's a deliberately crude, politically incorrect, boundary-pushing gross-out comedy that either delights or disgusts depending on taste.

Fans praised

  • Gut-busting boundary-pushing gross-out humor executed with expert timing
  • Surprisingly sweet romantic core beneath the raunchy anarchy
  • Perfectly cast ensemble led by Cameron Diaz's radiant charm and Ben Stiller's lovable schlub

Detractors panned

  • Juvenile, offensive, and humorless shock-for-shock's-sake gross-out gags
  • Thin, predictable plot relying entirely on cheap bodily-function jokes
  • Mean-spirited mockery of disabled people and animals without real comic craft

What stands out

ActingDivisive85

Cameron Diaz charming and radiant; Ben Stiller perfectly awkward; Matt Dillon surprisingly sleazy-funny

HumorDivisive75

Iconic zipper, hair-gel, and dog scenes generate genuine belly laughs

OriginalityDivisive70

Pioneering gross-out romantic comedy hybrid; shock comedy that felt fresh in 1998

DialogueDivisive65

Witty one-liners and quotable exchanges amid crude set-pieces

PacingDivisive60

Brisk first half but drags in middle; long stretches between classic gags

CharactersDivisive55

Broad archetypes rather than deep writing; Mary written as more object than person

Emotional impactDivisive50

Sweet romantic core surprises emotionally but undercut by crude tone

Plot and storyDivisive40

Simple boy-loses-girl premise merely a clothesline for gags; thin and predictable

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 38 points higher than women.

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 18 points higher than under-30s.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 19 points higher than users.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • US vs non-US 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is There's Something About Mary like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Easy laugh: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something light that makes you laugh and does not take itself seriously.

It leaves you feeling good. Skip it when you want something with weight.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Easy laugh.

Moods
AbsurdRomanticTriumphant
Heaviest: middle
Raunchy humor
Register
Absurdist · 7% of films: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.Playful
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its outrageous, politically incorrect scenarios with a straight face while embracing an earnest romantic core, playing its absurd situations for laughs without undercutting the genuine feelings.
The rideThe film's emotional weight peaks in the middle as the deceptions and betrayals unravel, before lightening toward the romantic resolution.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically from 1985 to 1998, with a brief flashback to the prom date, adhering to a conventional three-act structure.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

Feel-goodFun
Why it leaves you this wayThe satisfying romantic reunion and relentless comedic gags leave viewers happy and entertained.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Comedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11% (this title): Romantic comedy 4% (this title) · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Romantic comedy: Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.

11% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe film centers on Ted's effort to rekindle a lost connection with Mary while multiple suitors lie about their identities and compete for her affection, fitting the romantic comedy subtype with elements of mistaken identity.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfDeception
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% (this title) · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% (this title) · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9% (this title)
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Deception · 9% of filmsRomantic love · 15% of filmsSelf-worth · 7% of films
Satirizes its theme: Attacks its theme through ridicule.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on how dishonesty and manipulation in pursuit of love corrode trust, while genuine connection is possible only through honesty.
StanceThe film satirizes romantic pursuit by exaggerating male deception and obsession, ultimately celebrating honesty over manipulation.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanSuburbanDomesticStylized realism
PopRockSupportive music · hybrid
SettingProvidence in 1985 and Miami in 1998, with suburban homes, high school, and medical practice settings
MusicThe film features song narration by Jonathan Richman, whose acoustic ballads comment on the action throughout.

Content guide

Is There's Something About Mary okay for kids?

R

There's Something About Mary is rated R: “Rated R for strong comic sexual content and language” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (39/100), sexual content at intense (61/100), language at severe (80/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (44/100) and frightening material at mild (16/100). Overall it is heavier than 34% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 21 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany12
  • FranceU
  • Ireland15
  • South Korea19
  • Brazil14
  • Belgium18
  • Czechia15+
  • Denmark11
  • FinlandK-12
  • Greece15
  • Hungary18
  • Netherlands6
  • Norway11
  • Poland16
  • PortugalM/12
  • Russia18+
  • Spain12
  • Sweden7
  • Switzerland12
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 59% of all filmsHeavier than 34% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 19%
Sex & Nudity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 76%
Profanity
Severe
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 73%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 57%
Frightening / Intense
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 7%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is language and sexual content. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does There's Something About Mary have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in There's Something About Mary?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Cameron Diaz
as Mary
Globe nominee: Golden Globe nomination — Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or MusicalTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Matt Dillon
as Healy
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Ben Stiller
as Ted
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Lee Evans
as Tucker
Chris Elliott
as Dom
Lin Shaye
as Magda
Jeffrey Tambor
as Sully
Markie Post
as Mary's Mom
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Keith David
as Mary's Dad
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
W. Earl Brown
as Warren

Crew

More like this

What are movies like There's Something About Mary?

Movies like There's Something About Mary include The Heartbreak Kid (2007), Me, Myself & Irene (2000) and The Philadelphia Story (1940). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films written or directed by Peter Farrelly, and half are films about deception.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

9 of these 12 share its story type: romantic comedy. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with There's Something About Mary?

759 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: screwball comedy. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.