You know that feeling when you're flipping through channels and you see a guy talking with his butt? Or maybe he's wearing a green mask and dancing the Cuban Pete? If you grew up in the 90s, Jim Carrey wasn't just an actor; he was basically a force of nature. He was everywhere.
But honestly, looking back from 2026, it’s wild to see how much his career actually shifted. He went from being the "funny guy" who made $20 million per movie to a serious artist who probably thinks more about philosophy than punchlines. If you're looking for a movie with Jim Carrey to watch tonight, you've gotta realize there are basically three different versions of the man.
The Year Everything Changed: 1994
Most actors hope for one hit. In 1994, Jim Carrey had three. It’s a run that literally hasn't been duplicated since.
First, there was Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. Critics mostly hated it. They thought it was low-brow and annoying. But audiences? We couldn't get enough of the Hawaiian shirts and the catchphrases. Then came The Mask, which turned him into a living cartoon. Finally, Dumb and Dumber capped off the year. It’s still, arguably, one of the funniest road trip movies ever made. Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunne are icons of stupidity.
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When the Grinch Met the Truman Show
By the late 90s, Carrey started getting restless. He didn't want to just make faces anymore.
He took a massive risk with The Truman Show in 1998. If you haven't seen it recently, it’s eerie how much it predicted our current obsession with reality TV and social media surveillance. He plays Truman Burbank, a guy whose entire life is a television set. He won a Golden Globe for it, but the Oscars famously snubbed him. That hurt. You could tell it hurt.
Then he went full method for Man on the Moon (1999). He didn't just play Andy Kaufman; he became him. There's a whole documentary on Netflix called Jim & Andy that shows how much he annoyed the cast and crew by staying in character 24/7. It was brilliant, but also kinda scary.
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And we can't talk about Jim without mentioning the green fur. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) is a holiday staple now, but the makeup process was so brutal Carrey almost quit. He actually had to work with a CIA operative who trained people to endure torture just so he could handle the hours in the makeup chair.
A Quick Reality Check on the Hits
- Bruce Almighty (2003): This remains his biggest commercial hit. Playing God (or having His powers) was the perfect sandbox for his energy.
- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004): This is the one critics point to as his masterpiece. It’s a quiet, heartbreaking movie about erasing memories of an ex. It’s the least "Jim Carrey" movie he ever made, and that’s why it works.
- Sonic the Hedgehog (2020-2024): After a long break from blockbusters, his return as Dr. Robotnik reminded everyone that he can still do the "manic energy" thing better than anyone. Sonic 3, released just recently in late 2024, showed he's still got that physical comedy edge even in his 60s.
Why Some Movies Didn't Land
Not everything he touched turned to gold. Remember The Number 23? It was a psychological thriller that tried way too hard to be dark. Fans didn't really buy him as a guy obsessed with a conspiracy theory. Then there was The Cable Guy (1996). At the time, people found it too dark and weird. Now, it’s a bit of a cult classic because it’s so uncomfortable, but back then, it was a huge shock to the system.
The Modern "Semi-Retirement" Era
Jim’s been pretty vocal lately about being "fairly serious" about retiring. He spends a lot of time painting and being "quiet."
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If you're looking for something more recent and deeply weird, check out the show Kidding. It only ran for two seasons on Showtime, but his performance as a grieving children's show host is probably the most honest thing he's ever done. It captures that specific mix of sadness and silliness that defines his later years.
How to Pick Your Next Watch
If you want to dive back into his filmography, don't just go for the obvious ones.
- For the Laughs: Stick to the 1994 trilogy. You can't beat The Mask for pure visual spectacle.
- For the Feels: Watch Eternal Sunshine. Bring tissues. It’s a heavy one.
- For the Brain: The Truman Show is the most relevant movie he’s ever done for the world we live in today.
- The Wild Card: I Love You Phillip Morris. It’s a true story about a con man who falls in love in prison. It’s hilarious, bizarre, and somehow very sweet.
Jim Carrey changed what it meant to be a movie star. He proved you could be a "clown" and a "thespian" at the same time, often in the same scene. Whether he stays retired or comes back for one more big role, the library of work he’s left behind is pretty much untouchable.
Start with The Truman Show if you want to see him at his peak. It’s the perfect bridge between his wacky side and his serious side. If you've already seen that, give The Cable Guy another chance—it’s much better than the 90s critics gave it credit for.