Entertainment
Netflix Has Courtney Cox's Raunchiest Comedy
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
A raunchy, critically reviled comedy from the ‘90s became a breakout smash hit, transforming a relatively unknown comedian into one of the hottest names in Hollywood. That film was Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994), a grossout movie so weirdly beloved that it spawned its own quirky franchise. To see where that franchise (not to mention Carrey’s career) got its start, be sure to stream this modern comedy classic on Netflix today!
The premise of Ace Ventura: Pet Detective is that the titular PI is a kooky animal wrangler who specializes in tracking down missing pets. He gets hired to find a dolphin stolen from the Miami Dolphins, and he has to deliver results before the upcoming Super Bowl. Along the way, he’ll mingle with the rich, schmooze with the beautiful, and generally charm his way into and out of the craziest situations Miami has ever seen.
The Movie That Created A Superstar
The cast of Ace Ventura: Pet Detective is small and eclectic, featuring Friends icon Courtney Cox as a publicist for the Miami Dolphins. Speaking of the Dolphins, Dan Marino plays himself, and horror legend Udo Kier plays a tycoon as wealthy as he is eccentric. But the real star of the show is Jim Carrey, who managed to parlay this impressive feature film debut into a lifelong Hollywood career based solely on the strength of his manic and maniacal performance.
Jim Carrey’s powerhouse performance generated serious word of mouth, and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective ended up earning $107.2 million against a budget of only $15 million. This made a follow-up film downright inevitable, and we eventually got two sequels (one with Carrey, one without) and a children’s cartoon. In 2021, a new sequel was officially announced, though whether Carrey will appear or whether this film will even see the light of day (it’s been about half a decade since we’ve had any real updates) remains unknown.
The Critics Take Aim
Incredibly, reviewers generally hated Ace Ventura: Pet Detective when it came out, and the film has a stunningly low 47 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics generally griped about the rubberfaced antics and potty humor of leading man Jim Carrey, believing that he overpowers the entire film with his larger-than-life presence. However, they noted that the movie would prove popular with Carrey’s fans because it is chock full of the wacky humor that soon became his trademark.
It may go without saying, but Ace Ventura: Pet Detective has had a major cultural impact that far exceeds its low Rotten Tomatoes score. This was one of the comedy touchstones of the ‘90s, and youngsters of that era spent far too much time and energy showing off their impressions of Carrey. Make no mistake; he whirled into Hollywood with the force of a hurricane, and no film (comedy or otherwise) was ever quite the same after his whirlwind debut.
Falling In Love With A Shady New Character
The reviewers are right about one thing, though: how much you enjoy this film is going to come down to how much you enjoy Carrey’s unique brand of humor. I was relatively young when Ace Ventura: Pet Detective premiered in theaters, but I was already familiar with Carrey thanks to his performance as Fire Marshall Bill on In Living Color. That variety show (which doesn’t get nearly enough love, in my opinion) showcased Carrey’s ability to transform a one-note punchline into an ongoing shtick, and there was always something mesmerizing about watching him disappear into a role like this.
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective is Jim Carrey unleashed, and he throws himself into this bizarre new role with even more gusto than he ever approached In Living Color. It’s a movie filled with punchlines, and Carrey imbues each one with more funny faces and sound effects than you’ll find in the entire Policy Academy franchise. His brand of humor isn’t for everyone, but considering that Ace Ventura became a successful franchise and Carrey became a Hollywood legend, it’s fair to say that general moviegoers loved what he was selling.
Will you love what Jim Carrey has to offer in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, or is this one raunchy ‘90s comedy that you’d rather see stuck in the past? You won’t know until you stream this career-making cult classic for yourself on Netflix. Remember, though: if you start uncontrollably talking like Ace Ventura after the credits roll, we won’t be held responsible for what your family does to you!
