Funniest Jim Carrey Movies: Why the 90s GOAT Still Owns Comedy

If you were alive in 1994, you didn’t just watch movies. You witnessed a hostile takeover. Jim Carrey didn't just walk onto the A-list; he kicked the door down, talked out of his butt, and somehow became the highest-paid actor on the planet within twenty-four months.

It’s actually wild to think about. Before that year, he was basically just "the white guy" on In Living Color. Then, in a single calendar year, he dropped Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask, and Dumb and Dumber. That is a statistical anomaly. No one does that. It’s like a pitcher throwing three perfect games in one season.

Honestly, pinpointing the funniest Jim Carrey movies is kinda like trying to pick the best slice of pizza in New York. Everyone has a different "best," but we can all agree that the 90s run was untouchable. Carrey didn’t just do "bits." He transformed his entire skeletal structure into a prop.

The 1994 Triple Crown: Where the Legend Began

Most actors spend a decade trying to get one hit. Carrey got three in ten months.

Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Critics absolutely hated this movie. Roger Ebert basically called it a "long, unfunny slog." But you know who didn’t care? Every single person with a pulse. Ace Ventura is the purest distillation of Carrey’s "rubber face" era. He spent the whole shoot riffing, including that legendary scene where he "talks" to the police with his rear end.

Fun fact: Carrey actually helped write the script while he was still filming In Living Color. He knew the character was absurd, so he leaned into the "nerdy strangeness" that critics found so grating. Now, "Alrighty then" is basically part of the American lexicon.

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The Mask

If Ace Ventura was about physical energy, The Mask was about technical wizardry meeting a human cartoon. This was the film that introduced us to Cameron Diaz, but let’s be real: we were there for the green-faced chaos.

What’s crazy is that the producers originally thought the movie would need massive amounts of CGI to make the Mask’s face move. Then they saw Carrey’s face. His actual, biological expressions were so extreme that they ended up saving a fortune on digital effects. He was literally out-acting the computers.

Dumb and Dumber

This is arguably the most quoted comedy of all time. Period. Jeff Daniels was a "serious" actor before this, and his agents supposedly begged him not to take the role of Harry Dunne. They thought it would kill his career. Instead, he and Carrey created the most iconic duo of idiots since Laurel and Hardy.

"We got no food. We got no jobs. Our pets' heads are falling off!"

Carrey even took out his permanent dental cap to show his real chipped tooth for the role of Lloyd Christmas. That’s commitment to looking like a total moron.

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Why Liar Liar Changed Everything

By 1997, people were starting to wonder if Carrey could do anything besides scream and make faces. Then came Liar Liar.

The premise is simple: a lawyer who literally cannot tell a truth for 24 hours. But the execution? It’s a masterclass. There’s a scene in a bathroom where Carrey’s character, Fletcher Reede, beats himself up to avoid going to court. That wasn't a stunt double. He actually threw himself against those walls.

It showed a slightly more "human" side while keeping the manic energy high. It also proved he could carry a "high-concept" comedy, not just a slapstick road trip.

The Blockbuster Peak: Bruce Almighty

If you want to talk about box office power, you have to talk about Bruce Almighty. For a long time, this was his highest-grossing film worldwide, raking in over $484 million. (Though, funnily enough, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 recently snatched that crown in 2025/2026).

Bruce Almighty worked because it paired Carrey with Morgan Freeman (as God) and Steve Carell. The "newsroom meltdown" scene where Bruce makes Evan Baxter (Carell) speak gibberish is still one of the funniest things ever put on celluloid. Carell has since said that Carrey was incredibly supportive on set, even though he was basically being upstaged by a newcomer in his own movie.

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The Ones People Forget (But Shouldn't)

Not every Carrey movie was a $500 million monster. Some of his funniest work is actually in the "weird" stuff.

• The Cable Guy (1996): People were terrified of this movie when it came out. It was dark. It was creepy. Carrey played a stalker. But looking back? It’s a satirical masterpiece about TV obsession. The Medieval Times scene is peak cringe-comedy before "cringe" was even a thing.
• Me, Myself & Irene (2000): This is Carrey reunited with the Farrelly brothers. He plays a cop with a split personality. It’s incredibly politically incorrect, gross-out humor, but watching him fight himself in a front yard is a display of physical comedy that very few humans could pull off without breaking a rib.
• I Love You Phillip Morris (2009): This one is based on a true story about a con artist who keeps breaking out of prison. It’s hilarious, touching, and wildly underrated.

The "Almost" Comedies: The Truman Show and Eternal Sunshine

It’s worth mentioning that some of Carrey’s "best" movies aren’t "pure" comedies. The Truman Show is funny, sure, but it’s also heartbreaking. It predicted our obsession with reality TV and social media decades before TikTok existed.

Then there’s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. It’s a sci-fi romance, but Carrey uses his comedic timing to make the character of Joel Barish feel real and relatable. It’s the nuance that makes the funny moments hit harder.

Actionable Takeaways for Your Next Movie Night

If you're planning a Jim Carrey marathon, don't just go in blind. The man has a huge filmography, and some of it hits differently depending on your mood.

1. For pure, brain-off laughter: Start with Dumb and Dumber. It’s the ultimate "comfort food" movie.
2. For a family night: The Mask or Sonic the Hedgehog (where he plays Dr. Robotnik) are your best bets. He brings that same 90s energy to the Sonic movies, and it’s a total nostalgia trip.
3. For something "smart" but still funny: Go with The Truman Show. It’ll give you something to talk about after the credits roll.
4. If you want to see him go "full psycho": The Cable Guy. It’s an acquired taste, but it’s brilliant.

Jim Carrey basically retired around 2022, though he came back for the Sonic sequels. Whether he ever does another "original" comedy or not, his 90s run is essentially the blueprint for modern physical humor. He didn't just play characters; he became a one-man special effects department.

If you want to see what he's up to lately, he's actually become a pretty prolific painter and political satirist. But for most of us, he'll always be the guy who tried to find a missing dolphin while wearing a tutu. And honestly? That's a pretty great legacy to have.

Next Steps to Relive the Glory:
Check out the 4K remasters of the 1994 "Big Three." Most streaming platforms now have The Mask and Dumb and Dumber in high definition, which makes Carrey’s facial contortions look even more terrifyingly impressive than they did on VHS. If you really want a deep dive, find the director's commentary for Ace Ventura—Tom Shadyac’s stories about Carrey’s improvisation will change how you watch those scenes forever.