Carrey and his Dumb and Dumber co-star Jeff Daniels struck comedy gold together in 1994
List Compiled by Eddie on 03/11/2017
As a child of the 90’s I grew up with Jim Carrey very much a part of my movie watching life growing up.
A recognisable face and someone you could trust to bring manic energy and enthusiasm to his roles, much of Carrey’s work might not be described as cinematic masterpieces but a huge portion of his films can absolutely be qualified as tremendously entertaining ventures.
While taking a back seat somewhat over recent years, Carrey’s hardworking period over the mid 90’s through to the early 2000’s produced a number of huge box office hits and films that to this day remain hugely popular with audience’s all over the world.
Amongst Carrey’s many comedic outings there is also a sprinkling of films that show-off the often underutilised talents of a performer who when given the right material, is just as at home in a film of substance as he is in a film with a missing dolphin called Snowflake.
Happy reading and happy watching!
Carrey and his hairy co-stars in the better than it should be Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls
10. Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995)
Carrey plays – Ace Ventura
It may not have been as surprising as the first Ace Ventura outing the year previous but When Nature Calls is still an above average “dumb” comedy that has some moments of pure comedic gold. A scene involving a robotic rhinoceros is some type of masterpiece of cinema and a perfect showcase for Carrey’s skill as a movie comedian.
9. Me, Myself and Irene (2000)
Carrey plays – Charlie/Hank
Teaming up once more with his Dumb and Dumber director buddies Bobby and Peter Farrelly, Me, Myself and Irene sees Carrey play double duties as state trooper Charlie and his crazed alter ego Hank. It’s not high-brow stuff my any means and more adult orientated than the usual Carrey fair but Irene provides the perfect vehicle for Carrey to go wild with a multi-layered character.
8. Liar Liar (1997)
Carrey plays – Fletcher Reede
A comedy with a nice message about the importance of being true to oneself, Liar Liar gave Carrey one of his most memorable creations and plays the line perfectly between nice family style comedy and something with a bit more substance than Carrey’s usual crazed comedy affairs. A huge box office hit on release, Liar Liar holds up well these 20 years on since it first aired.
7. The Majestic (2001)
Carrey plays – Peter Appleton
Unfairly ridiculed by critics, perhaps by critics who were just waiting to talk director Frank Darabont down after the 1-2 double punch he delivered with The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile, The Majestic sees Carrey play it straight as Hollywood writer Peter Appleton who suffers from a severe case of mistaken identity. A film that is unashamedly sentimental and was a risk for Carrey at the time and one that remains one of his biggest box office failures, The Majestic isn’t perfect but it’s a lovingly crafted drama that’s better than many give it credit for.
6. Man on the Moon (1999)
Carrey plays – Andy Kaufman
One of the rare times Carrey has portrayed a character based on a real life figure, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Amadeus director Milos Forman’s little seen biopic of comedian Andy Kaufman was not well received by critics upon release but now on reflection this touching film on a tortured comedian is a memorable piece of filmmaking. Carrey, in one of the roles of his career, excels as Kaufman and this is a must watch for any fans of the actor that may’ve bypassed the film initially.
Allowed to go wild as The Mask, Carrey hit it big with his 1994 effort
5. The Mask (1994)
Carrey plays – Stanley Ipkiss/The Mask
The Mask really catapulted Carrey into the mainstream and was a part of his insane 1994 year that saw 3 box office behemoths released for the then rising comedic star. Going all out in his dual role of Stanley Ipkiss and his alter-ego The Mask, Carrey played against co-star Cameron Diaz wonderfully in this original outing that sadly went on to spawn one of the worst films of all times in the form of Son of the Mask in 2005.
4. Dumb and Dumber (1994)
Carrey plays – Llyod Christmas
It’s not going to be revered by scholars or named in the greats of cinema but Dumb and Dumber is one of the best “dumb” comedies ever released. Teaming up Carrey with Jeff Daniel’s sidekick Harry Dune, The Farrelly brothers created one of cinemas great dim-witted duos. Filled with many a memorable scene and some fantastic haircuts, Dumb and Dumber is a comedy goldmine. Just don’t talk about that sequel!
3. Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)
Carrey plays – Ace Ventura
“If I’m not back in five minutes… just wait longer”, ah Ace Ventura, our favourite pet detective of all time. A fabulous creation for Carrey that let him run riot with over the top and seriously funny segments, this was the type of film that would’ve boiled the blood of many an esteemed film critic but also a film that audiences need from time to time. This is low-brow entertainment at its finest and a guilty pleasure favourite for many children of the late 80’s and early 90’s.
2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Carrey plays – Joel Barish
At the time of writing sitting comfortably in the top 100 of the IMDB Top 250 films of all-time list, director Michel Gondry and writer Charlie Kaufman magical romantic sci-fi is a truly original piece of filmmaking that has remained a favourite of many since its release in 2004. Odd, slightly off-kilter and charming beyond measure, Carrey holds his own against acting heavyweights like Kate Winslet, Mark Ruffalo and Tom Wilkinson in this beloved classic and showcases to all that he is far from a one trick pony as he brilliantly portrays the heartbroken Joe Barish.
1. The Truman Show (1998)
Carrey plays – Truman Burbank
Australian director Peter Weir hit it out of the park with his stunningly crafted drama based around Jim Carrey’s Truman Burbank who is unwillingly the star of a huge reality TV program titled The Truman Show. Ahead of its time in many ways in the way in which it dealt with mankind’s incoming obsession with watching people’s real lives play out for their amusement, Weir’s film, Andrew Niccol’s awards worthy script and Carrey’s brilliant performance as Truman all combine to create an all-time classic film.
The Truman Show proved once and for all there was more to Carrey than just zany comedies
Honourable mention – The Number 23
Do you prefer your Carrey as manic comic or more straight-faced dramatic actor? Are you sad The Grinch isn’t on this list? Let us know in the comments below!
I’ve never even heard of ‘The Majestic’ but after reading this I’ll definitely be checking it out in the future 🙂
It’s worth a look Emma 🙂 a well meaning and unique drama.
E
I Love You Philip Morris would be right up there for me.
A very unique film that one. Surprised more people haven’t seen it.
E
I love this list. What a great actor.
He really is Adam. Unlikley we will ever see someone like him again.
E
Happy to see Truman Show on the top, it is a briliant film.
Great post!
It holds up so well. Carrey is brilliant in it to.
E
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Yeap, Jim Carrey is great
That he is good sir!
E