Chris Elliott makes self-delusion funny by playing it straight. We rate his deadpan oddness most highly in supporting parts, where an awkward man can unsettle a comedy without having to sustain all of it.
Fi1m perspective
In a Chris Elliott performance, the ridiculous man often seems to be the last person who might notice anything wrong. Elliott keeps his delivery level and lets the self-delusion continue. We like him best in supporting parts, allowed to be awkward without being asked to win our affection. There is a limit to how long we want him left in charge.
His writing and performing on Late Night with David Letterman (1982–1990) let him develop recurring oddballs. Get a Life (1990–1992), which he created and starred in, put a thirty-year-old paperboy living with his parents at the centre. Cabin Boy (1994), which he wrote and starred in, exposed the difficulty of making his manner carry a feature. Its hostile reviews concentrated on the bizarre tone and unlikeable lead, a fair warning about how wearing the joke can become.
Groundhog Day (1993) gives him a smaller job as Larry, Bill Murray's cameraman. Harold Ramis's comedy earns its warmth by being patient with Phil's bad behaviour, and Elliott belongs comfortably among its supporting players. We rate the film highly without pretending that it belongs to Elliott. Murray carries it; the useful lesson for anyone casting Elliott is that his eccentricity need not dictate the whole film.
The Farrelly brothers make a more natural home for his bad manners in There's Something About Mary (1998), where he plays Dom Woganowski. His unpolished comic presence fits a cast that makes the rudeness work rather than simply waiting for offence to produce a laugh. We laughed helplessly at the performers' commitment to behaving badly, with Cameron Diaz providing enough warmth to keep them bearable. It still runs too long, and Mary deserves more attention than the film gives her.
Television has continued to find room for him, including Roland Schitt, the inept mayor in Schitt's Creek (2015–2020). We do not need Elliott to become more agreeable. For a first encounter, choose Groundhog Day; for a stronger dose of the bad manners, choose There's Something About Mary.
Biography
Chris Elliott is an American actor, comedian and writer. Born Christopher Nash Elliott on 31 May 1960 in New York City, he is the son of comedian Bob Elliott, of the duo Bob and Ray.
He began his career as a writer and performer on Late Night with David Letterman in 1982, remaining with the show for several years. In 1990 he created and starred in the Fox sitcom Get a Life. Elliott has appeared in supporting roles in films including Groundhog Day (1993), Cabin Boy (1994) and There's Something About Mary (1998). He played Roland Schitt in the Canadian series Schitt's Creek (2015–2020).
