Jim Carrey was one of the greatest comedy stars the world has ever seen, and he had plenty of career-defining roles across his acclaimed career. From his early roles as over-the-top eccentric maniacs to more nuanced dramatic parts in deeply philosophical movies, Carrey had the skill in comedy and drama to deliver compelling performances that led to box office smashes and underappreciated cult classics. While Carrey’s bombastic style initially brought him fame, many of his defining roles were so memorable due to the heartbreaking vulnerability with which he imbued his characters.
From Ace Ventura to The Mask, Carrey’s best characters showcased his passion for physical comedy, which was central to the success he found during the 1990s and beyond. Later roles in The Truman Show and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind revealed a hidden depth to Carrey and a willingness to explore the deepest trenches of human experience to reveal the psychological complexities of modern existence. Carrey has had an incredibly acclaimed career, and his defining movies rank among the best comedies and dramas of all time.
After honing his craft on the comedy club circuit and with small film and television roles, Jim Carrey catapulted to mainstream recognition with his first major movie, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. Carrey’s distinct comedy stylings, already fully formed, were a breath of fresh air as he effortlessly embodied the outrageously eccentric private detective, infusing the film with his unique charm. Carrey’s natural fit for roles like this was evident, and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective became a surprise hit, grossing over $107 million against its $12 million budget.
From the very beginning, it was clear that Carrey possessed a special talent, and the success of Ace Ventura: Pet Detective was a testament to his committed performance. The character’s hyper-physical slapstick style and Carrey’s incredible vocal inflections and silly facial distortions were a winning formula that would set the stage for many of his future comedy characters. While some critics may have dismissed Ace Ventura: Pet Detective as low-brow, the audience was captivated by this new star named Carrey.
It appeared that 1994 was just Jim Carrey’s year. It not only marked the release of his breakout role in Ace Ventura and the hilariously stupid buddy comedy Dumb and Dumber, but was also the same year that The Mask was released. Taking in a whopping $351 million at the box office, The Mask was an extraordinary success that showcased Carrey’s cartoonish style and willingness to go above and beyond for a good joke. As an ordinary man transformed into a green-faced troublemaker, there was nobody better suited to this movie than Carrey.
With bombastic energy and a memorable supporting performance from a glamorous Cameron Diaz, The Mask was the perfect vehicle for Carrey’s talents, and it appeared Hollywood finally discovered how to utilize his unique skillset. Based on a comic book series of the same name, The Mask cemented Carrey as one of the iconic actors of the 1990s. Stanley Ipkiss’s physical transformation into the green-faced caricature that was The Mask also hinted at Carrey’s later physical metamorphosis in movies like How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
After a string of mainstream comedy successes, Jim Carrey took a serious risk with the absurdist black comedy The Cable Guy in 1996. A far darker tale than anything Carrey had previously been involved in, as the cable guy Chip Douglas, Carrey showcased the more sinister side of his over-the-top energy and intense eccentricities. While The Cable Guy disappointed at the box office and received mixed reviews from critics, it hinted at Carrey’s desire to take on more unusual roles as, although his character initially appeared silly, as The Cable Guy progressed, he became increasingly sinister.
At times, The Cable Guy played out more like a thriller than an outright comedy, and Carrey’s bizarre but compelling performance opened the door to more serious roles moving forward. The power of The Cable Guy’s story of a man on the receiving end of an unwanted friendship had a hidden depth, and there was a sad realism at the heart of Chip’s character. While The Cable Guy wasn’t for everyone, for these reasons, it’s since developed a cult following.
Jim Carrey began to move away from outright comedy and into a far more interesting realm with his role as Truman Burbank in The Truman Show. A fascinating psychological comedy about a man who did not know that his entire life was a carefully constructed reality TV show. The Truman Show was full of insightful themes about ethics, media, and identity that made it one of the most interesting movies in Carrey’s entire filmography and the moment where many audiences started to recognize him as both a powerful dramatic actor and an unmatched comedic talent.
The Truman Show was intensely funny as Truman slowly started to uncover the secret reality of his existence, but it was also incredibly sad and powerful as he reckoned with the consequences of this. A sharp forebearer to modern society’s later obsession with reality television, The Truman Show was both an emotional rollercoaster and an intense satire that addressed existentialism, surveillance, and the all-consuming power of media. With The Truman Show, Carrey entered a new era of his career, categorized by a balance of comedy and drama.
While Jim Carrey was certainly one of the most unique comedians of the 1990s, one of the greatest forebearers of his idiosyncratic and eccentric style was the ‘ant-comedian’ Andy Kaufman, whom he portrayed in the biopic Man on the Moon. This marked Carrey’s first foray into true stories, as he embodied Kaufman and his other comedy characters, Tony Clifton and Latka Gravas. While Man on the Moon was full of biopic tropes and cliches, Carrey’s performance helped elevate it as he mimicked Kaufman to a tee.
Carrey received critical acclaim for his role as Kaufman, but it also signaled the end of his string of box office successes and only grossed $47 million against its $52 million budget, making it a box office flop. For Man on the Moon, Carrey took up a sternly committed method acting style and stayed in character as Kaufman both on and off set during the production. Carrey’s behind-the-scenes behavior was revealed in the documentary Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond, where it was revealed that Carrey may have taken things a little bit too far in his commitment to the role.
While Jim Carrey’s star may have slightly waned after box office failures like Man on the Moon and The Majestic, he returned in full force with the box office smash Bruce Almighty. A major success, Bruce Almighty grossed $484.6 million as audiences turned out in droves to watch Carrey, as Bruce Nolan, gain the powers of God as he sought to solve his crumbling career, relationship, and personal life. A charming and witty movie, Bruce Almighty showcased the mighty chemistry between Carrey and his co-star, Jennifer Aniston.
While Bruce Almighty was banned in numerous countries for perceived blasphemy (via The Guardian), this did not stop it from becoming Carrey’s highest-grossing film in his entire career. With charm and humor, Bruce Almighty reminded audiences how great Careey was with the right material. The role of God also made Bruce Almighty one of Morgan Freeman’s defining movies, as Freeman provided believable power and gravitas to the holy figure.
While Carrey had been toying with dramatic roles for years, it was not until Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind that he truly embraced this side of his career with a powerful romantic drama of deep psychoanalytical intrigue. As Joel Barish, Carrey played a man determined to erase the memory of his old relationship as viewers were brought directly into his mind and memories. As a highly emotional film with powerful visuals, strong performances, and an awe-inspiringly vulnerable script, Carrey brought heartbreaking believability to his role of Joel, which turned Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind into a cult classic.
With incredible direction by Michael Gondry and an iconic script from Charlie Kaufman, Carrey and his co-star Kate Winslet delivered perhaps the greatest movie ever about love, heartbreak, and the difficulties of letting go. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind felt like the most honest and vulnerable work Carrey had ever done as he laid his emotions bare on the screen. With humor and heartache, Carrey’s role as Joel Barish may be the crowning achievement of his incredible career.
Jim Carrey worked less throughout the 2010s but returned in 2020 with one of his defining performances as Dr. Robotnik in Sonic the Hedgehog. A perfect part for Carrey’s over-the-top eccentrics, Sonic the Hedgehog felt like Carrey had reconnected with what made him a worldwide comedy sensation during the 1990s. Carrey received widespread critical acclaim as he tapped into the cartoonish energy he was once known for and appeared to relish the opportunity to play a sinister villain like Dr. Robotnik.
Carrey has consistently avoided sequels throughout his career with just a few expectations, like Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls and Dumb and Dumber To. Sonic the Hedgehog was another rare exception to this rule. Carrey returned for Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and broke his announced retirement to reprise his role in the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 3. As the only occasion Carrey will have ever played the same character three times, Dr. Robotnik was certainly one of the defining movies of his career.
Sources: Box Office Mojo, The Guardian