Movie Info
Movie Name: Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
Studio: Morgan Creek Productions
Genre(s): Comedy
Release Date(s): February 4, 1994
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Dude loves his animals…
Ace Ventura (Jim Carrey) loves his job helping animals return to their homes. When he is hired to find the stolen Miami Dolphins’ mascot Snowflake before the Super Bowl, he finds himself at odds with the police led by Lt. Lois Einhorn (Sean Young). Teaming with the Dolphins’ Melissa Robinson (Courteney Cox), Ace finds that the kidnapping might be an inside job…and he must ferret out the kidnapper before the big game.
Directed by Tom Shadyac, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective helped make a star out of Jim Carrey. The movie was released to mixed reviews but the relatively low budget film was financial success and gained cult following.
All righty then!
I liked Jim Carrey on In Loving Color and thought he was quite fun. When he transitioned to “star” in this film, I didn’t see it in the theater. I did however see it a number of times on video…but I wasn’t part of the cult of Ace like many.
The story is intentionally ridiculous. The over-the-top character is pretty much just a means for Carrey to play a bunch of different scenes. Some have accused the story of being homophobic and anti-transgender, but now, aspects like The Crying Game jokes which earn this claim just feel more dated due to the passage of time (and the fact that most of the audience probably doesn’t even get the reference).
Ace gives a thumb up!
Carrey made a name for himself and his rubber face antics on In Living Color but this gave him free reign. Ace feels like a blend of many of his In Living Colors characters with Martin Short’s Ed Grimley. Carrey is joined by Friends’ star Courteney Cox and wooden actress Sean Young…who continues her reign as a wooden actress.
The movie had a small budget and at points you can tell. It looks like a cheap spoof film at points. Its sequel had double the budget and looked better…but this movie utilizes what it had better.
Ace Venture: Pet Detective is one of those movies people quote. Lines like “All-righty then!” were thrown around by my friends and others (it even has made the list of some of the most memorable quotes). Ace Ventura: Pet Detective has aged decently and kids will still enjoy it. Ace Ventura: Pet Detective was followed by Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls in 1995.
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