Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994) Review:

When you go to see a comedy, most of us expect to see something so unusual that we will burst out laughing. Many times it's to the point of where you start getting cramps in your stomach. That's what I got when I first saw this film and I still do every time I watch it! Jim Carrey's first starring role as Ace Ventura: Pet Detective may seem obnoxious to some but to others, he is the definition of a living cartoon. Much of Carrey's humor is relied on body movements which does an excellent job at keeping the audience curious to what he really is doing.

Jim Carrey in his most hilarious character role

Although the character of Ace Ventura is quite rude; it's a kind rudeness because of his knowledge as a detective. There are so many parts of the film where people put down Ventura as a loser who really doesn't have an occupation because he IS the only pet detective. But he uses this to his advantage because he is also very smart aside from his wise cracks. For those people in the movie that chastise Ventura's actions, they are all proved wrong by his wit and reason.

Courtney Cox & Tone Loc

Director Tom Shadyac is brilliant for picking Carrey. It almost seems like Carrey was just told by Shadyac to "do whatever you feel like doing on screen". Everything looks genuine on film and nothing looks like it was really directed. This is good though because this is how Carrey's character worked. It focused more on impulse than directionality.

Co-starring with Carrey is Courtney Cox. She acts her part out well too and of course because of Carrey's antics, Cox's character and many others are forced to always be a step behind. This is what makes Ace Ventura's character so effective. To think that Ace Ventura was written into the script as just a stupid character that has no idea of what he's doing would be a complete folly. Instead of a comedy having dumb fun, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective has smart fun.

Ace Ventura: Pet Detective may seem silly, but it is packed with intelligent dialog and unforeseen humor that no one will ever experience until being introduced to this film. From funny motions to clever conversations, Jim Carrey lays on heavy slap-stick to create multiple laughs.

Points Earned --> 10:10