My Top 10 Favorite Jim Carrey performances

Jim Carrey is one of those actors that audiences either love or hate and personally, I think it’s impossible not to love Jim Carrey. His goofy antics, his energy, his charm, his ability to just bring a smile to ones face, it’s an art that only Jim Carrey can perfect so well. Yet, Comedy isn’t the only thing he’s talented with, in fact he’s been in some legitimate dramas, turning out some truly heartfelt and even touching performances. Whether or not you laugh at him or take him seriously, he’s always a tone of fun to watch and here are my personal top 10 favorite Jim Carry performances.  

10. Ernie “Chip” Douglas from “The Cable Guy” 

Have you ever had that annoying best friend that would always be in your face and never give you a moment of peace, well, he’s probably more tolerable then this crazy electrician out for friendship. While this was one of Carries more controversial films and certainly not one of my favorites, it was still one of his most memorable characters. As a psychopathic man with a lisp and wild attitude, Carry proved that he can just as dark and scary and he is charming and funny.   

9. Horton from “Horton Hears a Who!” 

Jim Carry already came off like a live action cartoon character, and when this 2007 animated family film came along, it was about time for him to become one with the world of animation.  Horton is an elephant with a heart of gold and cherishes all forms of life, no matter how small. Jim Carry’s lovable personality and voice fit the character perfectly and it’s honestly on par with Robin Williams when he voiced the Genie of the Lamp from Disney’s “Aladdin”. Plus, this Dr. Sues adaption and Jim Carry’s simple charm was a real breath of fresh air after seeing Mike Mires disastrous “Cat in the Hat”. 

8.  Bruce Nolan from “Bruce Almighty” 

I always liked to think of Jim Carry as a God among mortal comedians, and now he takes that the extra mile as a man with all the powers of God. In this early 2000’s comedy, Jim Carry plays a self indulgent newsman who’s given the chance to play God and either serve his own ego or take a moment to help others in greater need. It’s a movie that’s every bit as creative and funny as it is touching and somewhat meaningful, but of course the highlight comes from Carry playing God. His speed, energy and wit match with the effects and premise perfectly and the final result is another memorable comedy in Jim’s carrier.  

7. Andy Kaufman from “Man on the Moon” 

This was the first time Jim Carry had a performance that was based around an entirely real person, and while I honestly don’t know that much of what the actual Andy Kaufman was like, Jim Carry clearly did his homework and brought him to life with perfection. Many critics found his performance to be so genuine that he should have been nominated for a best actor Oscar ... that says it all. While I feel the movie itself hits as often as it misses, one thing remains certain, Jim Carry delivered a performance that was every bit as funny as it was honest and accurate to the real life comedian.

6. Charlie & Hank from “Me, Myself and Iren”

The side splitting comedian has a side-split personality in this dark comedy, and boy dose he ham it up the only way Jim Carry knows how. He’s a man abused by everyone around him, which causes Carry to develop a dual personality in the form of a character named Hank, and what really elevates this into one of his funniest performances is all the physical comedy in which he literally battles himself. The on a dime transformations are amusing enough, but Carries desperate need to take control of his evil dominate side are what steal the show. With non-stop frantic energy and two crazy performances for the price of one, it’s the kind of role that Carry was simply born to play.

 

5. Count Olaf from “A Series of Unfortunate Events” 

While the movie itself has always been kind of a mixed bag for me, Jim Carry is undeniably on the top of his game as the villainess Count Olaf, in fact, this is easily the best villain he’s played in his entire carrier. In this movie based on the novel by Lemony Snicket, Carry plays an evil old miser out to steal a fortune from three orphaned children. The character himself is also a failed sage actor, and in his evil scheme the count always hides under a variety of discuses allowing Carry full rang to act as several different over exaggerated caricatures.  It’s a role that was simply meant for him. Carry also manages to hit that perfect balance between being lovable and hat-able all at once, which is the mark of any great villain actor. His portrayal of the Count was still appropriately hammy, without coming off as obnoxiously over the top as his portrayal of the Riddler in “Batman forever”. 

4. Truman Burbank from “The Truman Show” 

While Jim Carry had given some stellar performances in his carrier, it was his portrayal of Truman Burbank that had the masses demanding he receive an Oscar nomination. It’s a movie about a man who’s life is being broadcasted live on network television, which is already an original concept, but it’s Jim Carry at the helm who delivers such a lovable and endearing performance. It’s the kind of character that could have come off as manipulative if not in the right hands, which further demonstrates that for as over the top as Jim Carry gets, he knows how to hold back, restrain himself and convey the honest goods.    

3. Stanley Ipkiss/ The Mask from “The Mask” 

This is personally my second favorite movie of his on my list, next to another film that I’ll mention at the #1 spot, nothing quiet represents Jim Carries dual talents as an actor quiet like his portrayal in the mask. As Stanley Ipkiss he’s a quiet, shy individual with a good heart but always acts down to earth. Then on the flip side, when he puts on an enchanted mask, he becomes a living cartoon character who’s nothing short of wild and energized. The computer effects blend with Jim Carries comedic charm perfectly, neither upstages the other, and with Carries more down to earth performance to level out the fun, “The Mask” stands as a bright spot on his resume.  

2. Fletcher Reede from “Liar Liar” 

This is one of Jim Carry’s funniest comedies, with a premise that only “he” could pull off so well. Playing a dishonest family man who’s cursed to tell the truth for twenty four hours gives Carry no boundaries to utilizes his ample comedic timing, bursts of energy and elastic body movements to full effect. He even manages to show off some good drama and touching bonding moments with his family as the character goes on a reformation journey from a dead beat parent to a loving father that always sticks with the truth. The movie is a great comedy classic from the 90’s and it’s one of the funniest performances in Carry’s long carrier.  

Honorable Mentions: Joel Barish from “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”

The Grinch from “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”

The Riddiler from “Batman Forever”

Lloyd Christmas from “Dumb & Dumber”

Scrooge from “A Christmas Carol”

1. Ace Ventura from  Ace Ventura: Pet Detective 

This is the movie that made me love comedies, the first time I experienced the joy of laughing hard at something completely ridicules. That’s what makes comedies so great, you don’t take them seriously, you just have fun with them. Jim Carry’s performance as Ace Ventura is just fantastic, and astablished all his recognizable trademarks from his rubbery face, to the goofy hair due, and of course his talking butt. He’s the only actor I know who can be so hammy and over the top, yet still deliver a performance with so much class and genuine charm. In this film, Jim Carry plays a detective that specializes in looking for missing animals, and his methods for trying to rescue them are nothing short of laugh out loud hilarious. There’s even a decent mystery plot to be weaved in with all the silliness. He’s certainly one of the silliest actors ever and this is the film that captures his goofy antics perfectly. It’s the simple joy and talent of this crazy actor that make it such a joy to watch and he’ll always be one of my favorite actors of all time. 

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