According to The Guardian, Jim Carrey has said that he’s “fairly serious” about retiring from film acting with his most recent movie appearance. The actor reprised his role as Dr. Robotnik in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, which could end up being his final performance. It’ll be a shame if Carrey never brings his zany comedic talents to the big screen again, but he’s left behind a legendary body of work.
Over the years, Carrey has played characters ranging from lovable everymen like Truman Burbank and Stanley Ipkiss to despicable villains like the Riddler and the Grinch.
The Riddler
When Joel Schumacher took over the Batman franchise with Batman Forever, he threw Tim Burton’s subversively dark tone out the window in favor of the hypercamp style of the old Adam West TV series. Carrey had a field day with this Adam Westian tone in the role of the Riddler.
Carrey’s Riddler is decidedly zanier and goofier than the Zodiac-inspired serial killer played by Paul Dano in this year’s The Batman, but he’s still just as evil.
Chip Douglas
One of Carrey’s most underrated movies, The Cable Guy, is a darkly comedic take on a stalker thriller like Cape Fear or The Hand That Rocks the Cradle. Matthew Broderick’s everyman Steven has no idea what he’s getting into when he slips the cable guy Chip Douglas 50 bucks for an illegal cable hook-up.
After this shady exchange, Chip starts obsessively pursuing a friendship with Steven. When Steven tries to let him down easily, Chip’s obsession takes a dark turn and he starts destroying Steven’s life.
The Grinch
Carrey’s titular villain in How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a hot-tempered misanthrope who hates Christmas and the joy it brings to the Whos of Whoville. Mean one Mr. Grinch steals the townspeople’s Christmas presents and decorations. The movie gives him a sympathetic motivation for hating the holidays: he was mercilessly mocked by his classmates as a kid.
So, he’s not a straightforward villain; he’s more of an antihero. The Grinch eventually sees the error of his ways and returns the stolen presents with a sincere apology.
Fletcher Reede
As the title would suggest, the lead character in Liar Liar is a compulsive liar. Fletcher Reede constantly lets down his son. He’s a lawyer who mostly represents guilty people and bends the truth to get his clients off the hook.
Over the course of the movie, Fletcher learns how to be a better, more trustworthy person when a birthday wish forces him to tell the truth for 24 hours.
Charlie Baileygates / Hank Evans
Carrey reunited with the Farrelly brothers for Me, Myself & Irene. This movie is just as wacky as Dumb and Dumber, but the comedic tone is decidedly darker. Without the jokes and sight gags, it would be a straightforward psychological thriller. The lead character of Charlie Baileygates is a curious case with regards to his likability, because he has a second personality.
This role has a likable character and an unlikable character trapped inside the same mind. Charlie is a sweet, friendly state trooper who doesn’t ruffle feathers and gives his sons unconditional love despite being the product of an affair. But Hank represents all the rage and depravity that Charlie has shoved deep down over the years. When he’s in the guise of Charlie, he’s likable. But in the guise of Hank, he’s hilariously unlikable.
Bruce Nolan
The titular news reporter in Bruce Almighty is a miserable cynic who feels like God is actively working against him and ignoring his plight. God himself grants Bruce his almighty powers to teach him a lesson.
By the end of the movie, Bruce learns that controlling the universe and listening to people’s wants and needs all day and night isn’t so easy. He realizes that, ultimately, he’s in charge of his own happiness.
Ace Ventura
The title character in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective is one of Carrey’s most cartoonish creations. He’s hardly a saint – he’s a brash loudmouth who rubs people the wrong way – but he’s not all bad.
Ventura’s most likable quality is his eponymous profession: saving animals. He doesn’t have a lot of patience or respect for other human beings, but as a pet detective, he’s dedicated his life to helping animals in distress.
Lloyd Christmas
The “dumber” one of the title Dumb and Dumber, Lloyd Christmas, is too dim-witted to manipulate people or hurt their feelings. He drives across the country (most of it in the wrong direction) just to reunite one of his limo passengers with her lost briefcase. He has the ulterior motive to win her heart, but he had the best intentions.
Lloyd accidentally kills a mobster by putting chili peppers on his burger and then handing him rat poison that he mistakes for heart medication. But, unbeknownst to him, that mobster was about to whack him, so the killing is indirectly justified.
Stanley Ipkiss / The Mask
Along with Dumb and Dumber and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask is one of a trio of 1994 hits that launched Carrey to stardom. It’s also the one with the most likable lead character.
Stanley Ipkiss is a timid, dorky, down-on-his-luck bank teller who stumbles across an ancient mask that turns him into a walking, talking cartoon with a rubbery green face and a snappy zoot suit. In the guise of “The Mask,” Stanley uses his newfound powers to fight crime.
Truman Burbank
The Truman Show was way ahead of the curve in its satire of reality television. Carrey plays Truman Burbank, a man who was born and raised as a TV star. His entire life is being filmed 24 hours a day and enjoyed by viewers across the world.
When he becomes aware of this and plots his escape from the oversized set, the director goes mad with power and tries to kill him off. Truman is easy to root for because he just wants to be free.
