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Jim Carrey might not be the biggest movie star in the world, but he definitely has one of the most enviable careers in Hollywood. Carrey’s a beloved comedian who’s gotten to play some of the most popular comedy characters in history. From Ace Ventura through Dr. Robotnik, the entirety of Carrey’s career is studded with memorable performances and quotable lines.

Most of Carrey’s best movies are comedies for a good reason: the man is a comic genius, and even though some of his funniest moments were when he broke people on set, he always brings his A-game to every role. Though people think of him as a comedian, Carrey’s also got dramatic chops. When he needs to, Carrey can tone down his over-the-top comedic persona to deliver some truly moving moments.

Looking at the best movies of Carrey’s career means cutting out some of his most important roles. For example, Carrey was never the same after “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” but that movie is so widely hated that it doesn’t crack Carrey’s top 15. We used a combination of critic and audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes to figure out which of Carrey’s movies are the best, and here are the rankings.

1994’s “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” is arguably one of Jim Carrey’s most iconic comedies, but it’s also one of his worst. Carrey plays the titular detective, a wacky animal lover whose unorthodox methods make him an expert at tracking down lost pets. Ace gets hired to investigate the disappearance of the Miami Dolphins’ mascot, but as the investigation gets underway, members of the NFL team start going missing too. 

Ace begins to realize that he’s stumbled into an even bigger conspiracy than he could have imagined, but at no point does “Pet Detective” risk becoming a thriller. The movie has a high jokes-per-minute count, though some of the biggest “gags” haven’t aged very well at all. In fact, “Ace Ventura” is much darker than you remember. Because of that, “Pet Detective” doesn’t stand up very well compared to Carrey’s other comedies, including the sequel, “Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls.”

Starring: Jim Carrey, Courteney Cox, Sean Young

Director: Tom Shadyac

Runtime: 86 minutes

Rating: PG-13

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 48%

Where To Watch: Prime Video

In “Yes Man” Jim Carrey plays a man named Carl Allen, who’s been emotionally struggling since getting divorced. Carl needs to break out of his rut and shake up his life, so he attends a self-help seminar hosted by a famous guru. The talk encourages Carl to start saying “yes” to literally every opportunity that’s presented to him. 

That new approach completely transforms Carl’s life, but eventually his compulsion to agree to everything starts to feel more like a curse than a blessing. Carl needs to find a way to ditch his new impulse, before the power of “yes” leaves him in a worse place than where he was when he started.

Critics weren’t blown away by “Yes Man,” but audiences had a much better time with the 2008 movie, probably because it unself-consciously goes all-in on its wacky premise. It doesn’t take long for Carl’s life to get completely out of control, and the movie delights in coming up with more and more over-the-top propositions for him to agree to. This probably won’t become your new favorite Carrey picture, but it’s definitely a more worthwhile watch than “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.”

Starring: Jim Carrey, Zooey Deschanel, Rhys Darby

Director: Peyton Reed

Runtime: 104 minutes

Rating: PG-13

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 45%

Where To Watch: Prime Video, Apple TV

Just one year after “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” introduced audiences to one of the zaniest Jim Carrey characters of all time, another movie brought the legendary detective back to the big screen. “When Nature Calls” was a total critical failure, but the movie has even more success with general audiences than its predecessor. Certainly if you’re a fan of “Pet Detective” then you’re guaranteed to enjoy “When Nature Calls,” which takes the same approach when it comes to packing the film with jokes.

This time around, Ace is going to have to leave his usual detective turf. Ace has retired, but in mere minutes the movie manages to pull him back into the pet detective fold. A rare white bat meant to be a gift at the wedding of two African royals has gone missing. Ace needs to find the bat in time for the wedding, or the marriage will fall apart and the two tribes involved will go to war. The stakes are high, but Ace is as goofy as ever as he pursues his new goal.

Starring: Jim Carrey, Ian McNeice, Simon Callow

Director: Steve Oedekerk

Runtime: 90 minutes

Rating: PG-13

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 23%

Where To Watch: Prime Video, YouTube

Based on the book series of the same name, 2004’s “Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events” is a story of loss, childhood ingenuity, and the power of love between siblings. The movie follows the Baudelaire children, Klaus (Liam Aiken), Violet (Emily Browning), and Sunny (Kara Hoffman), who lose their home and parents in a devastating fire. Their evil guardian, Count Olaf (Jim Carrey), wants to use the orphans for money, and he’s willing to kill any other potential guardians who get in his way.

“A Series of Unfortunate Events” captures the spirit of the books, and the rotating Baudelaire guardians give multiple actors time to shine. Fans of the original book series had mixed feelings about the movie because it’s far from a perfect adaptation and only tells the first quarter of the story. People who came in without any bias, however, enjoyed the movie. Netflix decided to expand it into a whole TV series in 2017, with Neil Patrick Harris in Carrey’s role.

Starring: Jim Carrey, Jude Law, Meryl Streep

Director: Brad Silberling

Runtime: 108 minutes

Rating: PG

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 72%

Where To Watch: Pluto TV

Good source material can take a movie far, and 2008’s “Horton Hears a Who!” is a clear example of that. Based on the Dr. Seuss book of the same name, the movie adds a slew of new characters and sideplots to expand the storybook tale into a nearly 90-minute movie. 

Jim Carrey plays the title character, an elephant who lives in the Jungle of Nool. One day Horton notices a colorful speck that he believes he can hear, and upon closer inspection he realizes the entire miniature city of Whoville exists on the speck. Horton starts carrying the speck with him wherever he goes, and he becomes utterly fascinated with Whoville and the people who live there.

“Horton Hears a Who!” is perfect for children, but there’s plenty for adults to enjoy in the movie, too. The animation is excellent, and the movie crafts some genuinely memorable characters. This is an excellent example of a family-friendly film with a powerful message, and that’s why it’s one of Carrey’s best roles.

Starring: Jim Carrey, Steve Carell, Carol Burnett

Director: Jimmy Hayward, Steve Martino

Runtime: 86 minutes

Rating: G

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 79%

Where To Watch: Prime Video

“Man on the Moon” is the first drama on this list. The 1999 biopic follows the life of famed comedian and “Taxi” mainstay Andy Kaufman. Jim Carrey steps into Kaufman’s shoes and utterly vanishes into the role of this genuinely eccentric performance artist. His dedication to accurately portraying Kaufman actually inspired another movie we’ll encounter a little further down on this list.

This might be one of the best performances in Carrey’s career, but sadly the film didn’t perform all that well. The movie failed to make back its budget at the box office, putting it into flop territory. On the bright side, critics gave the film good reviews, and audiences on Rotten Tomatoes gave it a stunning 79% approval rating. This little gem in Carrey’s career is well worth a watch.

Starring: Jim Carrey, Danny DeVito, Gerry Becker

Director: Milos Forman

Runtime: 118 minutes

Rating: R

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 64%

Where To Watch: Apple TV

“Sonic the Hedgehog” is based on a beloved gaming franchise with decades of history. Jim Carrey plays Dr. Robotnik, the single most iconic villain in the entire “Sonic” video game canon. Sonic (Ben Schwartz) is a blue hedgehog with super speed who comes to Earth with the help of some golden rings, but he finds himself getting lonely the more time he spends in our world. In his boredom, Sonic practices his running and inadvertently draws the attention of the U.S. government and Dr. Robotnik. To avoid the clutches of the wily scientist, Sonic needs to rely on the help of some new human friends.

The games have a massive, dedicated fan base, which is a big part of why the 2020 live-action adaptation quickly became one of the highest grossing video game movies of all time. “Sonic” had an $85 million budget, but it earned well over $300 million at the global box office. For fans, this adaptation couldn’t be any better, which is why it has a 93% approval rating with audiences on Rotten Tomatoes.

Starring: Ben Schwartz, James Marsden, Jim Carrey

Director: Jeff Fowler

Runtime: 99 minutes

Rating: PG

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 64%

Where To Watch: Paramount+

Longtime fans of “Sonic the Hedgehog” thought that the first live-action adaptation was excellent, but they were even more blown away when the sequel debuted in 2022. Both critics and audiences enjoyed the sequel more than the original, and that’s reflected in the movie’s box office performance. “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” made over $400 million and cemented this new film franchise as a success.

In our interview with Jim Carrey, he said he was excited to get another shot at playing the evil supergenius Dr. Robotnik, who’s trapped on a mushroom planet when “Sonic 2” gets going. Meanwhile Sonic (Ben Schwartz) is still living with his human pal Tom (James Marsden), but they’re about to be joined by some new animal friends. Miles “Tails” Prowers (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) is a talking fox and Knuckles (Idris Elba) is a red hedgehog like Sonic, and their arrival on Earth kicks off a whole new adventure.

Starring: Ben Schwartz, James Marsden, Jim Carrey

Director: Jeff Fowler

Runtime: 122 minutes

Rating: PG

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 69%

Where To Watch: Paramount+

The same year that Jim Carrey appeared in “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” he also starred in another, significantly better comedy. “The Mask” is based on a series of comics released in the early 1990s, and it tells a superpowered story with a twist. Carrey plays a bank teller named Stanley who one day discovers a strange wooden mask in a pile of garbage on his way home. Stanley takes the mask with him, but when he puts it on, he transforms into a green-faced hero who can alter reality around him with cartoon logic.

For better or worse, “The Mask” follows the same joke-a-minute pacing as Carrey’s other ’90s comedies. The critics consensus on Rotten Tomatoes says, “It misses perhaps as often as it hits, but Jim Carrey’s manic bombast, Cameron Diaz’ blowsy appeal, and the film’s overall cartoony bombast keep ‘The Mask’ afloat.” Judging by the audience score, critics were more impressed by the movie, but Carrey is still a perfect fit for the lead in this zany story.

Starring: Jim Carrey, Cameron Diaz, Peter Riegert

Director: Chuck Russell

Runtime: 101 minutes

Rating: PG-13

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%

Where To Watch: Prime Video

1997’s “Liar Liar” stars Jim Carrey as Fletcher Reede, an attorney and compulsive liar who’s laser-focused on his career. Fletcher splits custody of his son Max (Justin Cooper) with his ex-wife (Maura Tierney), but he frequently lets his job get in the way of his relationship with the boy. After Fletcher misses Max’s birthday, the child uses his birthday wish to prevent his dad from lying for a whole day. Suddenly, Fletcher can’t use his most powerful verbal tool at the same moment that he needs to handle a major case.

If you’re looking for a slapstick comedy with heart, then you could do a lot worse than “Liar Liar.” Similar to “Yes Man,” this movie runs away with its deceptively simple premise, but better performances and a much stronger script make this a much more enjoyable film.

Starring: Jim Carrey, Maura Tierney, Stephen Mazur

Director: Tom Shadyac

Runtime: 96 minutes

Rating: PG-13

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%

Where To Watch: Prime Video, Fandango

The 1990s were a great time for fans of Jim Carrey’s style of humor. In 1994’s “Dumb and Dumber,” Carrey and his co-star Jeff Daniels are at the top of their comedic games. The two stars play professional limo driver Lloyd and his best friend Harry, respectively. Neither are what you would call critical thinkers, but when one of Lloyd’s passengers leaves a briefcase in his limo, they set out to track her down and return the bag at all costs. Their massive road trip becomes the source for endlessly quotable gags.

“Dumb and Dumber” debuted to mixed reviews, but audiences absolutely loved the film. A fan favorite, it became popular enough to expand into a franchise. Unfortunately the prequel, “Dumb and Dumber: When Harry Met Lloyd,” didn’t get the original stars to return, and the 2014 sequel “Dumb and Dumber To” was a spectacular critical flop.

Starring: Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels, Lauren Holly

Director: Peter Farrelly, Bobby Farrelly

Runtime: 107 minutes

Rating: PG-13

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 67%

Where To Watch: Prime Video, TNT

“Jim and Andy: The Great Beyond” is the only movie on this list that’s a documentary. An enthralling look into one of the most challenging and impressive performances in Jim Carrey’s career, the 2017 film follows the production of “Man on the Moon” and chronicles Carrey’s extraordinary transformation into Andy Kaufman.

If “Jim and Andy” were just a chronicle of Carrey’s acting method, then it would be interesting for diehard Carrey fans, but the documentary is actually so much more. The movie tracks a journey of personal transformation and self-acceptance that Carrey was undergoing while he was embodying the spirit of one of his biggest comedy heroes. As the critics consensus on Rotten Tomatoes puts it, “‘Jim and Andy’ offers a fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpse of method acting in action — and one star’s journey toward something like personal acceptance.”

Starring: Jim Carrey, Danny DeVito, Milos Forman

Director: Chris Smith

Runtime: 94 minutes

Rating: TV-MA

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%

Where To Watch: Netflix

Jim Carrey’s dramatic roles are few and far between, but some of them have been highlights of his career. 2004’s “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” is one of the few Carrey movies that you’ll watch without emitting a single belly laugh, but the movie is guaranteed to make an impact on you and stick in your mind for weeks after you first see it.

Joel (Jim Carrey) and Clementine (Kate Winslet) were once deeply in love, but their relationship has fallen apart. One day Joel learns that Clementine underwent an experimental procedure to erase their entire history from her memory, and he decides to do the same. The mind-bending story that unfolds from that moment is deeply emotional and explores questions of love, memory, and personal identity.

Starring: Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Tom Wilkinson

Director: Michel Gondry

Runtime: 108 minutes

Rating: R

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%

Where To Watch: Prime Video

“The Truman Show” combines the best of Jim Carrey’s comedic sensibilities with his often underused dramatic acting chops. The 1998 movie follows an insurance salesman named Truman (Jim Carrey), who thinks that he lives a fairly average life. Little does he know that he is actually the star of a reality TV show that’s a global phenomenon. People around the world watch Truman’s daily life on their screens at home, but when Truman starts to piece together what’s really going on, everything is thrown into chaos.

“The Truman Show” has everything you want from a great Jim Carrey movie. The story absolutely delivers on its intriguing, speculative premise, and the movie is frequently funny without losing sight of the dramatic tension at its core. Universally beloved by critics and general moviegoers alike, “The Truman Show” could easily be considered Jim Carrey’s best all-around movie.

Starring: Jim Carrey, Ed Harris, Laura Linney

Director: Peter Weir

Runtime: 103 minutes

Rating: PG

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%

Where To Watch: Paramount+, Pluto TV

Long before he joined the cast of 2020’s “Sonic the Hedgehog,” Jim Carrey was a household name and world famous comedian, but there’s no denying that people are going to remember him as Dr. Robotnik for years to come. Fans were delighted by Carrey’s performance in the first live-action “Sonic” movie, and by the time Carrey came out of retirement to star in the third film, many thought he’d perfected the character.

In “Sonic the Hedgehog 3,” Carrey’s Dr. Robotnik is at the height of his powers, but he’s also at his absolute wackiest. Carrey effortlessly infuses Dr. Robotnik’s silly nature with a genuinely threatening energy, and even takes on the second role of the doctor’s sinister grandfather, Gerald Robotnik. The movie also throws in some fan-favorite “Sonic” characters like Shadow the Hedgehog (Keanu Reeves) to give franchise fans a truly mind-blowing experience. 

Even critics were impressed by the 2024 threequel, which has an 85% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but audiences gave it a stunning 95% rating. Much of that love is owed to Carrey’s take on Dr. Robotnik, which is why this movie lands at the very top of our list.

Starring: Jim Carrey, Keanu Reeves, Ben Schwartz

Director: Jeff Fowler

Runtime: 109 minutes

Rating: PG

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%

Where To Watch: Paramount+