Critics Club II: 45 - Jim Carrey

[Neon Ignition]

So it's time to vote for Jim eh? Re-he-he-eally?


Jim Carrey




Vote for the movie you feel is their best whilst also discussing their other work, your reasons for voting and thoughts on what is their weakest.

Some will have very long lists so some trimming will be required to focus on the key entries but broadly the main selection will be available each time.

[CMcK]

Pulling silly faces and shouting a lot isn’t my idea of comedy but he’s great in Eternal Sunshine.

[Dogg Thang]

Pulling silly faces and shouting a lot

Yep. I basically got put off Carrey very early on and I actively detest The Mask and so I have pretty much seen nothing with him in it since those early days. His rubber face shtick does nothing but annoy me. I've heard he can be good in serious roles but I wouldn't know because those films have Jim Carrey in them.

[Atticus]

Toss up between Eternal Sunshine and The Truman Show for me. Went for the latter as it's probably a more iconic roll, and he brings an absolute ton of heart to it.

[QualityChimp]

Right, I've voted Dumb and Dumber because it's one of the funniest films I've ever seen and it still keeps on giving years later.
Obviously, I was drawn to Carrey by his screwball antics in that, Ace Ventura and The Mask at the start, and I can't imagine anyone else in those roles, but looking at that list, he's been in some really interesting and eclectic roles.

I also really, really love The Truman Show. What an amazing film and Carrey is so good in it. I think people were expecting more zaniness, but he played Truman brilliantly - upbeat, but refusing to be confined by the virtual prison he's in. I think it's a film I'll never tire of.

Man on the Moon is fascinating to watch, but the Jim and Andy documentary shows just how far Carrey would go to give authenticity to the role by staying in character throughout the shoot.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind isn't as fun as the ELO-lead trailer would suggest, even pretty depressing at times, but it's another interesting role.

There are loads of interesting and fun films in that list: Earth Girls Are Easy; Liar Liar; Yes Man; Cable Guy; Me, Myself and Irene; The Number 23 and so on.

I find Jim Carrey himself also fascinating. I think at some point he had a mental breakdown and people were bamboozled when he started showing up at red carpets and questioning the validity of such vapid experiences.

He dropped out of promoting Kick-Ass 2 because he didn't want to be associated with the violence, after seeing the effects of the Sandy Hook school shooting. A bold move that a lot of people condemned him for, but he stuck to his principles.

He's seemingly found a bit more inner peace, of late, by spending a lot of time painting. He's very critical of Trump and most of his work seems to be political.

There's a great episode of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee where Seinfeld takes Carrey out in a Countach and they go back to his house to see his studio.
Comedians, cars, coffee, Carrey, Countach.

I'd love to go for a coffee with him, I think it'd be fascinating, but I'd also be a little scared that he might freak out, or fake freaking out to make me freak out.

I think this should be a factor in these actor reviews - would you go for a pint with them?

[Asura]

Easily The Truman Show. It's just so dark and menacing a movie despite its pseudo-1950s appearance. It manages to be bright and colourful, gothic and tense, yet does all this without becoming some kind of Tim Burton thing. It's just a great movie.

[QualityChimp]

[MENTION=3144]Dogg Thang[/MENTION], please watch The Truman Show. I think you'll really enjoy it.

[Dogg Thang]

[MENTION=3144]Dogg Thang[/MENTION], please watch The Truman Show. I think you'll really enjoy it.

Does it have Jim Carrey in it?

[Neon Ignition]

Yeah, the early gurning of Carrey got old fairly quick. I remember enjoying the second Ace Ventura the most of those early comedies. Outside of them though there's some really nice work.


Truman Show is a great film, Bruce Almighty kind of gets lumped in with his other comedies but it's good fun and more grounded than the early stuff, The Majestic is a lovely little film, Liar Liar has some face bending humour but it plays with the set up really well overall as well

[Neon Ignition]

We're going to try his new series Kidding soon, heard decent things about it and it sounds like the kind of vehicle he gravitates to the most - something that has humour but that humour masks darker themes

[QualityChimp]

Does it have Jim Carrey in it?

It doesn't have The Mask/Ace Ventura Jim Carrey in it, if that's any help.
It's stamped with a "no gurn" guarantee.

It's directed by Peter Weir and addresses so many themes in its short running time, but you really cheer for Truman as the show makers try to manipulate him and he defies them, but in his own gentle way.

Please watch it. I think you, particularly, will get a lot out of it.

[Dogg Thang]

Maybe... if there's not even one gurn...

[QualityChimp]

Enthusiastic waving at the very worst. That's it.

It's like Robin Williams could be madcap and zany, but also play some sensitive roles.
It's easier with him though, because he always grew a beard for those parts. (Excluding Jumanji.)

[CMcK]

Real life has already surpassed The Truman Show so its impact will be less for a first time viewer nowadays.

[Finsbury Girl]

Easily The Truman Show, a wonderful, beautiful film and an absolute triumph for Jim Carey.