One of my favourites with such a broad scope and a deep message. I think you do have to appreciate it as a work of art. The reality of space travel is quite boring in terms of the day-to-day but there are many underlying themes that make the film so fascinating.
From Wikipedia...
"
Sir Arthur C. Clarke's
novel of the same name was developed simultaneously with the film, though published after its release.
[4] It seems to explain the ending of the film more clearly. Clarke's novel explicitly identifies the monolith as a tool created by an alien race that has been through many stages of evolution, moving from organic forms, through biomechanics, and finally has achieved a state of pure energy. These aliens travel the cosmos assisting lesser species to take evolutionary steps. The novel explains the hotel room sequence as a kind of alien zoofabricated from information derived from intercepted television transmissions from Earthin which Dave Bowman is studied by the invisible alien entities. Kubrick's film leaves all this unstated."
From Kubrick...
"On the deepest psychological level the film's plot symbolizes the search for God, and it finally postulates what is little less than a scientific definition of God. The film revolves around this metaphysical conception, and the realistic hardware and the documentary feelings about everything were necessary in order to undermine your built-in resistance to the poetical concept."
Not exactly "Dumb and Dumber" (which is also one of my favourite films).
