Jim Carrey Birthday Special: From Liar Liar To The Mask – 5 Roles No One Else Could’ve Aced!
At first glance, the actor seems like the obvious choice for comedy roles but he has made almost every character he played on the silver screen a classic.
A Lying Lawyer To A Struggling Performer Andy Kaufman – 5 Roles No One Can Do Better Than Jim Carrey(Pic credit – Imdb )
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Jim Carrey is an actor who has become synonym with the comedy genre owing to his spectacular performances in films like The Mask, Ace Ventura franchise and more. But is he just that? Well – NO! Jim is more than just a comedy actor, and his performances in films like A Series of Unfortunate Events, Man On The Moon and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind are proof.
At first glance, the actor seems like the obvious choice for comedy roles but he has made almost every character he played on the silver screen a classic. But his acting capabilities were shown to the world when he started taking on more formidable dramatic characters – that we now equally love.
Today, as the two time Golden Globe Award winner turns 59 years, we take a look at 5 roles we think no one could pull off better than this actor. If you feel someone else could have done it better than Jm Carrey, be sure to let us know in the comments.
In 1984, Jim Carrey got a break, but that was on the short-lived TV series, The Duck Factory. But, he made a name for himself with the portrayal of comedy character in Hollywood films and the best among them – according to us – is Stanley Ipkiss aka The Mask.
While Stanley is a nice guy, who pretty much everyone walks over, after donning the Mask, he becomes something from the other end of the spectrum. He transforms into a wacky, zoot-suited, suave cartoon figure who possesses superhuman abilities and can manipulate his own shape and the world around him. And he pulled off both characters like a pro.
Did you know, before Jim Carrey was cast, the makers were looking at actors like Matthew Broderick, Steve Martin, Rick Moranis, Martin Short, Keanu Reeves, Mike Myers, John Ritter and Robin Williams to portray the character? We cannot any one of them doing justice to the role as Jim did.
Dumb and Dumber (1994)
Released the same year as The Mask, Dumb and Dumber was a comedy film that featured Jim Carrey as Lloyd Christmas – a chip-toothed, dimwitted man fired from several jobs.
This is, without a doubt, one of the funniest movie ever made across the globe. The story is outlandish but somehow relatable, and the impressive performances make it one of Jim’s best movies till date.
Even after over 25 years, fans can still wind on the floor with laughter.
Liar Liar (1997)
Liar or lawyer – this Jim Carrey film is one reason why we think the link between the two is blurred. Because of his habit of lying about everything in life, Jim’s Fletcher Reede is a successful lawyer but has a broken family. When he cannot keep a promise to his son, the kid wishes for his dad to stop lying for a day – and what happens shows how good Carrey’s comic timing is.
The chaos that takes place a day after the party – when Fletcher can’t lie – see Jim is situations we couldn’t imagine ourselves in and they will make you laugh. This is one of the top performances by Carrey. The film was even adapted in Bollywood, with Govinda playing the character in Kyo Kii… Main Jhuth Nahin Bolta (2001).
Man on the Moon (1999)
After being typecast as a comedy actor for years, Jim Carrey surprised all when he played something leagues away from the normal. In Man on the Moon, Jim Carrey playing Andy Kaufman, a struggling performer from the ’80s. In this film, he also played Tony Clifton – a Las Vegas lounge singer that may or may not be Kaufman’s alter-ego.
Man on the Moon is Jim Carrey’s finest non-comedy movie. But Carrey feels it wasn’t him performing but Andy. Watch this film ASAP if you haven’t got around to it yet!
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
We can all agree that relationships are hard to sustain, and breakups can be heartbreaking and way harder to deal with. In Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Jim Carrey played Joel Barish an introvert (way different from almost every character he played till date). The film follows what happens when he realizes his ex Clementine (Kate Winslet) has undergone a process to forget him, and he wants to do the same.
It’s a phenomenal film with Carrey and Winslet playing their characters to the T. With this film, it was evident that Jim was much much more than just a comedian and could pull off any role. It’s more than a movie and you ought to watch it.
Happy Birthday, Jim Carrey.
Which is your favourite movie of The Mask actor? Let us know in the comments below.
