`MARY' IS QUITE A GIRL, TO SAY THE LEAST.

Byline: Glenn Whipp Daily News Film Critic

Courage and comedy aren't two words that are usually linked. But in politically correct times when most movies assiduously avoid crossing the delicate line of vulgarity in fear of losing mass appeal (and that all-important PG-13 rating), it is positively heroic when a couple of guys manage to call to mind the days of Mel Brooks and ``Springtime for Hitler'' and create a film that manages both to joyfully entertain and creatively offend.

``There's Something About Mary'' has all the spirit of Brooks and Monty Python and ``Animal House'' in its manic zeal to milk every sacred cow in the name of facetious fun. You'll laugh. You'll groan. And often at the same time.

Of course, there would be no reason to celebrate ``Mary'' if it were merely tasteless. (Karen Finley and other NEA gravy trainers are learning that harsh reality now.) This is the most consistently funny movie the Farrelly brothers have made, coming on the heels of guilty pleasures ``Dumb and Dumber'' and ``Kingpin.'' ``Mary'' will probably be tagged with the title ``Gross and Grosser,'' a distinction it admittedly earns.

But the Farrellys, who wrote and directed the film together, populate their movie with surprisingly sympathetic characters, which often makes the wicked humor kind of touching - albeit in a sick, twisted way.

The movie puts a '90s spin on the age-old story of Boy Meets Girl. Basically, it's ``Sleepless in Seattle'' with a court restraining order thrown in.

``Mary'' opens with an inspired, 20-minute time capsule introducing the characters in their nerdy, mid-'80s high school days. We meet Ted (Ben Stiller), a gangly geek with a bad haircut and braces who has the hots for dream girl Mary (Cameron Diaz). When Ted sticks up for Mary's mentally handicapped brother, she rewards him by asking him to the prom. That sets up an unfortunate incident involving Ted's zipper, and he never gets to see Mary again.

Flash forward 13 years and Ted is still dreaming about Mary. His loathsome pal, Dom (the perfectly cast Chris Elliott), suggests Ted hire a private investigator to track her down. The goofball he enlists, Pat Healy (Matt Dillon), ends up falling for Mary himself, which puts into motion a love triangle that eventually expands to include other idiotic suitors. You see, there is, indeed, something about Mary, and it seems to attract every man on the Eastern seaboard with an IQ of less than 50.

The movie is too long and, like most good sketch comedies, its humor misses as often as it connects. But there are several scenes that will have you laugh so hard that you'll start to cry. Or maybe it will work the other way around. Certainly, you will never look at hair gel the same way again.

Diaz brings great comic timing and a sweet vulnerability to Mary, and Stiller and Dillon prove to be troopers in the face of all sorts of indignities. Lin Shaye, Lee Evans, Markie Post (!), Elliott and Jonathan Richman as a wandering troubadour (and makeshift Greek chorus) straight out of ``Cat Ballou'' round out a wonderfully funny supporting cast.

Of course, the film's crude tastelessness won't play with everyone. Sometimes you'll even hate yourself for laughing. But laugh you will - often and hard. ``There's Something About Mary'' is the funniest movie of the year, and it mixes in just enough sweetness with its bodily fluids to make it good, deranged fun.

THE FACTS

The film: ``There's Something About Mary'' (R; language, crude humor).

The stars: Cameron Diaz, Matt Dillon, Ben Stiller.

Behind the scenes: Written and directed by Peter and Bobby Farrelly. Released by 20th Century Fox.

Running time: One hour, 59 minutes.

Playing: Citywide.

Our rating: Three Stars.

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Photo

Photo: Ben Stiller's infatuation with Cameron Diaz leads to some hilarious misfortune in ``There's Something About Mary.''