Legendary actor and comedian Jim Carrey has been making audiences laugh for 40-plus years. Famous for his slapstick comedy, which incorporates contorted facial expressions and rubbery physical movements, Carrey is a master of the visual gag, but that's not all he's good for.
Carrey is a diverse actor who's as good at being serious as he is funny. Whether he's playing a chip-toothed limo driver, a depressed divorcée, or, more recently, an evil human scientist in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Carrey gives it his all. And with the news that he may be retiring soon, what better time to recollect the best movies of his career.
Dumb & Dumber (1994)
Jim Carrey had his breakthrough year in 1994, starring as the lead in three blockbuster hits: Ace Venture: Pet Detective, The Mask, and Dumb & Dumber. While all are respected comedies, Dumb & Dumber showcases the best of the actor's comedic talents. Directed by the Farrelly Brothers, the movie follows dumb limo driver Lloyd Christmas (Carrey) and his dumber best friend, Harry Dunne (Jeff Daniels), who set out on a cross-country road trip to return a briefcase that, unbeknownst to them, contains money connected to a kidnapping.
Goofy and hilarious, Dumb & Dumber is Jim Carrey's funniest movie, and his most quotable too: "We got no food, we got no jobs, OUR PETS' HEADS ARE FALLING OFF" is a fan favourite. It's also oddly moving at times; for instance, take Lloyd's speech: "I'm sick and tired of having to eek my way through life. I'm sick and tired of being a nobody. Most of all, I'm sick and tired of having nobody." For the most part, however, it's pure gags and Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels having a criminally good time — enough of a good time that they reprised their roles in 2014 with the sequel, Dumb & Dumber To.
The Truman Show (1998)
Directed by the legendary Peter Weir, The Truman Show has a fascinating premise. Titular character Truman Burbank (Carrey) has a seemingly perfect life; he lives in a beautiful suburban neighborhood, is married to a devoted wife, and has a good job as an insurance banker. But Truman's life is a lie. His neighborhood is an elaborate set, his wife is an actress, and his job is merely a distraction from the truth: Truman is the star of a 24-hour-a-day reality show, only he doesn't know that — yet.
A huge critical success, The Truman Show was nominated for three Oscars at the 71st Academy Awards: Best Director, Best Supporting Actor (Ed Harris), and Best Screenplay (Andrew Niccol). It's a wonder why Jim Carrey himself wasn't nominated for an Oscar, but, along with Harris, he at least won a Golden Globe for his performance. Carrey is fantastic in The Truman Show, winning laughs and sympathy from both his fictional and real audience. Living vicariously through Truman, viewers experience immense anxiety over his situation and then genuine relief at his parting words: "And in case I don't see ya, good afternoon, good evening, and good night."
Man on the Moon (1999)
Directed by Miloš Forman, Man on the Moon is a biographical comedy-drama about the late dadaistic comedian Andy Kaufman, played here by Carrey. A self-described "song and dance man," Kaufman was famous for his anti-humor and controversial alter egos, including Tony Clifton, a foul-mouthed, sleazy lounge singer, and Foreign Man, a timid, strong-accented man from the fictional island of Caspiar. The movie tracks his career, from his failing performances in nightclubs to his final act at Carnegie Hall.
Man on the Moon might not be everyone's cup of tea (Andy Kaufman is a polarizing entertainer, to say the least); still, there's no denying that Carrey's performance in it is anything less than remarkable. Jim Carrey began his career with impressions, so it's no surprise that his likeness to Kaufman is uncanny. From his accent to his appearance (props to the hair and makeup department for that!); to subtler things, such as how he darts his eyes and holds himself, Carrey's performance is a masterclass in method acting. And for those interested in that kind of thing, Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond compiles 100 hours of footage from behind the scenes of Man on the Moon to document Carrey's notorious transformation.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Written by meta-king Charlie Kaufman, and directed by Michel Gondry, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is unlike most Jim Carrey movies. A sci-fi romance, it follows sweet-natured Joel Barish (Carrey) and wild-thing Clementine Kruczynski (Kate Winslet), an unlikely couple who decide to erase their memories of each other after a painful breakup. With its basis in futuristic technology and its non-linear narrative, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind isn't the typical love story: it's miles better.
Clever and original, it keeps audiences on their toes with its atypical sci-fi themes without compromising its humanist narrative: because, above all, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a story about love and heartbreak and the messiness of both. Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey are brilliant at portraying the broken-hearted lovers, and as strange as it is to see Jim Carrey serious and subdued, it suits him just as well. If audiences don't cry over his moving performance, they certainly will over Jon Brion's beautifully sad soundtrack.
Yes Man (2008)
A humble and positively delightful movie, Yes Man is director Peyton Reed's rom-com based on the Danny Wallace memoir of the same name. Carrey plays Carl Allen, a down in the dumps divorcée who gets a new lease on life when he participates in a self-help program that challenges him to say yes to anything and everything. From learning to play the guitar — and subsequently saving a man's life — to getting a job promotion and meeting the free-spirited Allison (Zooey Deschanel), Carl's life never looked so good.
It's impossible not to watch Yes Man without smiling. Funny and sweet, it's also inspiring, and the fact that it's based on a true story makes it that much better. Carrey and Deschanel — who incidentally share a birthday in real life — are a match made in on-screen heaven, and the relationship between their characters is by far the best thing about this movie. With lines such as: "The world's a playground. You know that when you are a kid, but somewhere along the way, everyone forgets it," Allison brings out the child in Carl, as Carrey brings out the child in millions.