Fun with Dick and Jane (2005): Cast, Reviews, Enron Connection

Anyone who lost a job in the early 2000s remembers the sting—and so did Hollywood. Fun with Dick and Jane (2005) turned that anxiety into a comedy of desperation, with Jim Carrey and Téa Leoni playing a suburban couple who turn to bank robbery after their employer implodes in an Enron-sized scandal.

Release year: 2005 · Director: Dean Parisot · Starring: Jim Carrey, Téa Leoni · Box office: $202 million (worldwide) · IMDb rating: 6.1/10 · Rotten Tomatoes score: 27% (critics)

The table below distills six production facts that frame the film’s ambitions and scale.

What is the plot of Fun with Dick and Jane?

How do Dick and Jane become unemployed?

Dick Harper (Jim Carrey, as listed by Rotten Tomatoes) is a mid-level executive at Globodyne, a telecommunications company that collapses overnight due to massive accounting fraud. His wife Jane (Téa Leoni) loses her job as a travel agent shortly after. Within days, the couple is deep in debt, facing foreclosure and repossession.

What leads them to rob banks?

After failed attempts at legitimate work—Dick takes a humiliating job at a fast-food chain—the Harpers decide to commit armed robbery. At first clumsy, they refine their technique by targeting businesses that had wronged them or their neighbors, including a big-box store and a bank. Wikipedia (the crowd-sourced encyclopedia) notes that the film’s plot was updated from the 1977 original to reflect the post-Enron economic anxiety.

How does the film end?

The Harpers eventually set their sights on Jack McCallister (Alec Baldwin), the corrupt CEO who profited from Globodyne’s collapse. They steal incriminating documents and expose him on live television. The film closes with the family on the run in Mexico, their debts paid, but the moral ambiguity intact.

The pattern: the film uses absurdity to highlight the real pain of sudden unemployment.

The implication: the film’s setup may be absurd, but its premise—sudden, unjustified layoff—was painfully real for many in 2005.

Who is in the cast of Fun with Dick and Jane?

Who are the main actors?

Rotten Tomatoes lists Jim Carrey as Dick Harper and Téa Leoni as Jane Harper. Their chemistry drives the film’s comedic and dramatic beats. Supporting roles include Alec Baldwin as CEO Jack McCallister and Richard Jenkins as Frank Bascombe, a neighbor who becomes an unwitting accomplice.

What roles do Alec Baldwin and Richard Jenkins play?

Baldwin’s McCallister is the smug, unpunished villain—a character type he perfected in this era. Jenkins plays Frank Bascombe, the Harpers’ hapless neighbor whose truck they borrow for a heist. According to IMDb (the user-powered movie database), Angie Harmon appears as Veronica Cleeman, a television news anchor.

Are there notable cameos?

IMDb lists John Michael Higgins as Garth, Richard Burgi as Joe Cleeman, and Carlos Jacott as Oz Peterson. Aaron Michael Drozin plays the Harpers’ son Billy. James Whitmore appears uncredited in one of his final roles as a retired security guard the Harpers befriend.

The pattern: Carrey anchors the comedy, but Baldwin’s villain role gives the satire its bite—a dynamic the film uses to comment on corporate impunity.

How does Fun with Dick and Jane relate to the Enron scandal?

Is the film directly based on Enron?

The film’s fictional company Globodyne was rewritten after the Enron scandal broke to incorporate elements of real-world corporate fraud. ScreenAnarchy (the film news site) called it “the first big Enron scandal comedy” it could recall. The Badger Herald (the University of Wisconsin student newspaper) described Globodyne as an “Enron-inspired mega-business.”

What real-world events inspired the story?

The 1977 original was a response to the inflation and unemployment of the 1970s. For the 2005 remake, director Dean Parisot updated the script to reflect the post-Enron era, turning the corporate villain from a faceless board into a specific, caricatured CEO. The Dissolve (the now-closed film criticism magazine) argued that the film should have allowed Carrey and the cast to comment more directly on American economic anxiety.

Did the filmmakers reference Enron explicitly?

While the script never names Enron, the parallels are overt: insider trading, cooked books, executives fleeing with golden parachutes. According to Wikipedia, the film’s production notes acknowledged the Enron inspiration.

The takeaway: Fun with Dick and Jane is a popcorn movie with a conscience—but the conscience is light enough to avoid alienating a holiday audience.

Where can I watch Fun with Dick and Jane?

Is Fun with Dick and Jane available on Netflix?

Yes. As of 2025, the film is available for streaming on Netflix (the streaming platform) in the United States and several other regions. Availability may shift over time, so checking the Netflix library is wise.

Can I rent or buy it on Amazon or YouTube?

The film can be rented or purchased on Amazon Prime Video (digital store), Apple TV, and YouTube (via Google Play Movies). Prices vary by platform and region.

Is it streaming on any other platform?

As of early 2025, the title also appears on streaming services in select territories, but it is not a permanent fixture on any free ad-supported channel. Wikipedia notes that the film’s distribution rights are held by Sony Pictures Entertainment.

The trade-off: streaming availability is broad but regional; the most reliable option remains digital rental.

What do critics say about Fun with Dick and Jane?

What is the Rotten Tomatoes consensus?

Rotten Tomatoes reports a 27% approval rating based on 153 reviews, with the consensus calling it “an amiable but uneven remake.” The Metacritic score stands at 45 out of 100, indicating “mixed or average reviews.”

How did audiences rate it?

Audiences were kinder. The film holds a 51% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 6.1/10 on IMDb. Many viewer reviews praise Carrey’s physical comedy but note that the film never fully commits to its satirical premise.

What were common criticisms?

Critics frequently said the remake lacks the sharp satire of the 1977 original and relies too heavily on slapstick. The Badger Herald called it “not so funny,” while ScreenAnarchy said it “doesn’t hit the target as often as it should.” A recurring complaint: the film feels too safe, especially for a post-Enron comedy.

The pattern: the critics wanted more bite; audiences settled for laughs. That split explains the 27% versus 51% scores.

Verified facts and open questions

Confirmed facts

• The film is a remake of the 1977 film of the same name (Wikipedia).
• It was produced by Imagine Entertainment and released by Columbia Pictures (Wikipedia).
• The film grossed $202 million worldwide (Wikipedia).
• Jim Carrey and Téa Leoni are the lead actors (Rotten Tomatoes).
• The screenplay is credited to Judd Apatow, Nicholas Stoller, and Gerald Gaiser (IMDb).

What’s unclear

• Whether the filmmakers officially confirmed Enron as the sole inspiration for Globodyne (Wikipedia).
• The exact proportion of improvisation versus scripted dialogue, though Carrey is known for ad-libbing (IMDb).
• Whether the budget was exactly $100 million (no official confirmation).
• Whether James Whitmore’s cameo was his final role (uncredited).

What critics said

“The first big Enron scandal comedy I can recall, and it doesn’t hit the target as often as it should.”

— ScreenAnarchy (review)

“The remake should have let Jim Carrey and the rest of the cast comment more directly on American economic anxiety.”

— The Dissolve (analysis)

“Globodyne is an Enron-inspired mega-business, and the film is not so funny.”

— The Badger Herald (review)

For viewers revisiting the film today, the Enron parallel now feels less like satire and more like a documentary—a reminder that comedy can sometimes age into truth. Jim Carrey’s performance keeps the mood light, but for those seeking a sharp takedown, the film’s punch is pulled.

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