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We all grew up when Jim Carrey was JIM CARREY. He exploded onto the big screen with Ace Ventura and then it was nothing but hit after hit after hit. Carrey’s brand of comedy hit at the exact right time for adolescent boys to fall in love with him. But it turned out he wasn’t just a one note funny man. When Carrey dove into drama he proved that he was in fact an actor. Sure he was the funniest man in the movies for a decade, but he could also get you to empathize with him. And that’s why we’re revisiting a couple of our favorites!
First, we’re watching Liar Liar. Carrey still brought his trademark slapstickery to this one, but it was at least somewhat transitional. While he spends half the movie tirelessly and hilariously trying to lie, he spends the other half trying to save his relationship with is son. He even cries on camera. Drama. Liar Liar is unquestionably a comedy, punctuated by one of the best outtake reels you’ll ever see during the credits. But it dabbles in magical realism and hits you harder with the moral than an Aesop Fable. And save for a couple lines that may not be kosher in today’s day and age, Liar Liar holds up incredibly well and still had us rolling on the floor with laughter.
Carrey started bouncing from comedy to drama and back again soon after. The Truman Show sort of kicked things off, and then a few years later he did the next movie we’re going to be talking about, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. This is a weird one. Eternal Sunshine asks, “If you had the ability to remove someone from your memory, would you?” It’s a dive into a person’s psyche as they grapple with that idea. It’s almost like watching a dark, hipstery version of Pixar’s Inside Out. But it’s very interesting and touching, and poignant. Not to mention, Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet are wonderful in it. Wil, having never seen it, enjoyed it just fine. But Kristin still loves it.
How do you feel about Jim Carrey? We grew up in a time when it was impossible to not love him. We are definitely a little nostalgia driven, and we’re happy to see a new generation discovering him now that he’s been somewhat reintroduced on the big screen in Sonic the Hedgehog. Let us know what you think on Twitter! For now, get ready for a zany, sad, happy, screwball episode of So…I’m Watching This Show!
