Ranking Jim Carrey’s Top 5 Comedy Classics

Alright, comedy nerds, let’s talk about the rubber-faced god himself: Jim Carrey. Before he went all serious with Eternal Sunshine and started painting weird political art, this man was the undisputed king of physical comedy.

I’m talking face-contorting, voice-cracking, absolutely unhinged performances that defined an entire generation’s sense of humor.

So here’s my definitive ranking of Jim Carrey’s top 5 comedy Classics.

Jim Carrey’s Top 5 Comedy Classics.

5. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

TMJ Rating: 3/5

Christmas movies usually make me want to punch Santa in the face. But this green furry nightmare? Different story entirely. I caught this during one of those holiday movie marathons, probably hungover and avoiding family obligations, and Carrey’s Grinch actually made me give a shit.

The man disappears under pounds of makeup and creates this bitter, antisocial creature who hates everything festive. Carrey commits so hard that you forget you’re watching the Ace Ventura guy; his Grinch voice alone deserves some kind of award.

Ron Howard bloats the thing with unnecessary Whoville politics, but when Carrey’s terrorizing children and stealing Christmas trees, I’m all in. That heart-growing moment hits harder when you’re dead inside like me. ;)

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4. Yes Man (2008)

TMJ Rating: 3.5/5

I watched this during a particularly dark period when I was saying no to everything fun. Watching Carrey’s Carl transform from a miserable hermit to someone embracing chaos felt like therapy I couldn’t afford.

The premise sounds like self-help bullshit, but Carrey sells it. He dials back the face-pulling enough to let real emotion through, and you actually believe this guy’s journey. Plus, Zooey Deschanel doesn’t suck here, which is rare for Carrey’s love interests.

I found myself genuinely invested in whether Carl would keep saying yes or revert to his hermit ways. That’s character development I wasn’t expecting from a Jim Carrey vehicle.

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3. Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995)

TMJ Rating: 3.5/5

The sequel that somehow matched the original’s unhinged energy. Carrey cranks everything up to 11 here: the voices, the physical comedy, the complete disregard for human dignity. It’s beautiful chaos.

This time, Ace is in Africa, dealing with missing sacred animals and tribal warfare, giving Carrey an excuse to do his thing in exotic locations with bigger set pieces. The movie is absolutely ridiculous and knows it. Carrey spends half the runtime talking to animals, making weird noises, and traumatizing everyone around him.

Is it stupid? Absolutely. Is it hilarious? Without question. Sometimes you need a movie where Jim Carrey emerges from a mechanical rhino’s ass covered in fake placenta. When Nature Calls delivers that exact energy.

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2. The Mask (1994)

TMJ Rating: 4/5

Here’s where I fell in love with Carrey all over again. I caught this randomly flipping channels one Saturday afternoon (back when cable TV existed, it was still a thing) and got sucked in immediately.

Stanley Ipkiss is every schlub who’s ever been stepped on by life, and when he finds that mask, it’s like watching someone’s id break free.

Carrey gets supernatural powers that match his natural energy, and the result is pure magic. The man makes his eyes cartoonishly pop out of his skull and somehow makes it charming.

I’ve probably seen this movie twenty times, and that Coco Bongo dance scene still gives me chills. Cameron Diaz, in her breakout role, doesn’t hurt either.

1. Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)

TMJ Rating: 4.5/5

With this, Carrey created something completely unhinged that somehow worked perfectly.

I can still recite entire scenes from memory. The way he delivers “alllllrighty then,” his detective work with the missing dolphin, that tutu scene—everything burned into my brain. Carrey doesn’t play Ace like a cartoon character; he makes this weirdo feel real despite being completely ridiculous.

Even now, I’m still discovering new details in his performance. The man creates comedy through pure commitment, and this movie is the blueprint for everything he did after.

The movie is quotable from start to finish, features some of the most memorable physical comedy ever captured on film, and established Carrey as a legitimate movie star. It’s lightning in a bottle that Hollywood has been trying to recreate ever since.

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There you have it, Jim Carrey’s comedy Mount Rushmore (plus one extra face). These movies prove that sometimes the best comedy comes from actors willing to completely abandon their dignity in the service of making people laugh.

What’s your favorite Carrey comedy? Did I rank these right, or am I completely insane? Drop your thoughts below!