Top 20 Hilarious Jim Carrey Moments

“How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (2000)
Even as a grumpy green creature who hates one of the merriest times of the year, Jim Carrey can still make us burst into giggles. In this feature-length adaptation of the Dr. Seuss book of the same name, the Grinch tests out the echo capacities of his cave while trying to convince himself - out loud - that he is all the company that he needs. However, the convo quickly devolves into an argument after the Grinch’s echo turns the Mean One’s insult back on himself. It’s a hilariously unexpected comeback, and when the echo repeats the line again instead of engaging with his cave-mate, it also ends up putting the Grinch in his place - at least for a little while.

“Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” (1994)
Jim Carrey’s characters love to prove a point. They also like to boast - and none more so than Ace Ventura from this classic ‘90s comedy. While in the middle of solving a case, his dramatic demonstrations of how a glass door is soundproof not only prove that his detective skills are no joke, but also that he doesn’t have to be as serious as all the others to get the job done. The fact that he doesn’t just open and shut it once is enough for us to laugh. But the longer he does it, the funnier it seems to get. It’s strangely entrancing too. Does anyone have a 10-hour version of this?

“Sonic the Hedgehog” (2020)
It’s good to see the actor having fun again. In this film, Carrey gets to embrace a little of his wacky side, albeit not to the extent of his 90s film take-over. Carrey’s special zaniness has been sorely missed, so audiences couldn’t help but cheer and dance along with the star here. A lot of the actor’s strengths lie in his physical comedy, and the dance moves on show here take advantage of that, as we see him dance his way out of simulated precarious situations. Shouting that he loves lattes is the perfect end to this scene of the actor being himself.

“The Cable Guy” (1996)
To say Jim Carrey has a lot of energy in this scene from the black comedy would be an understatement. At a party, his character, Chip Douglas, proves to everyone in the room that he knows how to put on a show, entertaining both the attendees and the audience alike. Performing Jefferson Airplane’s “Somebody to Love” on karaoke, Chip never misses a beat. His electric performance – coupled with the reactions of the people around him – is hilarious, and we don’t think anyone else would’ve been able to compete with that amazing throat solo.

“Saturday Night Live” (1975-)
Carrey is the master of impressions, and no, we’re not talking about impressions of other people, weirdly enough, but impressions of insects and animals. Only he can take an idea of being a Biden fly on top of Pence’s head and make it comedy gold. His jaw movements let us know exactly who he’s supposed to be, and his hand rubbing and twitching is eerily comparable to that of a fly. You don’t even need context for this one. In fact, we’d love watching Carrey act through a list of other insects while he’s at it.

“A Series of Unfortunate Events” (2004)
Okay, there’s a reason this moment is only in the bonus material of the gothic black comedy film, as there’s no way the cast would get through it without breaking character. Count Olaf demonstrates what things would be like during the time when dinosaurs walked the Earth, and he does so by pretending to be one himself. His noises and movements are genius, and the way he interacts with the other actors is perfect. You can hear laughter from behind the camera, as well as spot Jim losing it a couple of times. Smiles break out across the sleeping cast – and when Olaf decides to lick one of the other cast member’s ears, no one can hold it in.

“Batman Forever” (1995)
While not the best Batman movie, rewatching it has plenty of rewards, primarily thanks to Carrey’s crazy Riddler performance. He definitely looks like he’s having the time of his life here. He does it all, spouting inanities, dancing, shouting, laughing, shaking. We wouldn’t be surprised if the director just pointed the camera at Carrey, with his only direction being the word ‘go.’ It’s great seeing him play a full-fledged villain, as opposed to someone just silly. Here, he’s ridiculous and evil, and it’s a great combo only Jim Carrey can pull off.

“In Living Color” (1990-94)
You won’t see a skit like this in modern times, so we’re grateful this particular one has been immortalized in video. Carrey gets the posture and movements right enough to sell the vision of being an older man, and the sketch as a whole goes from something quite timid to an old man assaulting people. Watching the character’s sneaky grin as he knows he will most likely get away with the crimes has us simultaneously laughing and shaking our heads in disgust. The twist in the end gets a huge laugh, too, as we discover he’s just tarnished the image of someone who is probably an innocent man.

“Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls” (1995)
We love Ace’s cocky attitude and the way he dives into situations full steam ahead. That doesn’t mean we’re not going to sometimes cringe at some of his onscreen antics. The wave of shock sweeping over his face as he looks down at the spear in his leg is priceless, and his incredible gestures and screaming make it even more hilarious. We mean, we can’t speak from experience, but getting a spear in the leg and having it piercing the bone probably would warrant the same reaction. His requesting a spear of his own to use doesn’t go as planned, either.

“Liar Liar” (1997)
Watching someone get beat up is never fun... unless the character is doing it to themselves. As is so often the case, Carrey goes the extra mile here. A simple headbutting would have sufficed, but he’s not taking any chances. While Fletcher pours rubbish on himself and puts soap in his eyes, an onlooker mimics our own reactions, except that we’re laughing on top of it. No other actor could have pulled this off. Seriously, just watch him body slam onto a wall and flop to the ground. It’s okay; you don’t have to feel bad for laughing.

“Dumb and Dumber” (1994)
Aside from being one of the most quotable movies ever made, it could also be considered the most annoying film to quote, because what's more annoying than the most annoying sound in the world? The best part about this scene is just before Carrey starts his annoying sound; he looks like he's five years old again and has just been scolded by his grandmother. In many ways, the idea of this one is funnier than the execution, which explains why we can’t watch this one on repeat without blocking our ears. But the sheer absurdity of it elevates it above so many other scenes.

“Yes Man” (2008)
We’ve all consumed too much caffeine at some point, but Carrey’s character Carl takes things to the extreme in this scene, which also perfectly captures the actor’s childish side. The fact that he never lost touch with that part of himself is impressive. What's more impressive is that this youthfulness completely takes over. Excited, hyped up on Red Bull and talking about his new friends, Carey suddenly changes the conversation topic to his new glow-in-the-dark necklace, which highlights that his thoughts must be racing at a million miles an hour. It may not be an entirely accurate representation of what drinking that many cans of the energy drink would do, but its over-exaggeration lets us enjoy it immensely.

“The Mask” (1994)
This was a role made for Jim Carrey, as it’s one in which he harnesses the power of the Norse god of darkness and mischief. This particular moment sees him dance his way through a blockade of police officers trying to arrest him. We all know dancing is contagious, but this scene takes it to a whole new level. The police forget what they’re there for, lowering their weapons and partaking in this ensemble while the Mask sings “Cuban Pete”. Not only that, but some of the officers can’t help but sing along. The absurdity is what makes this scene so hilarious, and it’s hard to picture another actor swaying a police force with their antics so convincingly.

“Saturday Night Live” (1975-)
Only Jim Carrey could memorably imitate the dancer from Sia’s Chandelier music video – costume and all – in front of a live audience of millions. There’s just something so hilarious about seeing a grown man, who’s clearly inflexible, trying to pull off professional dance moves. With an exaggerated performance and some added moves here and there, he takes the act off set; interacts with the audience; works with his co-star Kate McKinnon (whom he’s supposed to be competing with); utilizes props; and brings it back to the set – all without messing up even once. It’s a true testament to his comedic abilities.

“In Living Color” (1990-94)
All you need to do is watch the first ten seconds of this clip to get hooked. Carrey's 'world champion' karate character runs probably the worst self-defense class we've ever seen. Clutching his side while slowly bleeding out, the scene takes a crazy turn as he begins to show his real self-defense abilities, even beating on a defenseless woman to prove a point. The physical aspect isn’t the only funny part of this skit either. We mean, if your instructor says you attacked him wrong, you know you can’t take him seriously.

“Liar Liar” (1997)
You should always tell the truth… unless you’re a bad person. This scene highlights how Carrey's physical comedy can take some fun writing and lift it to another level of humor. Carrey's high energy and slapstick style suit this moment perfectly. It's almost like watching one person's brain in another person's body, as his facial expressions condemn the words coming out of his mouth. The way he throws the phone then hits the floor before verbally punishing himself shows his perfect timing and physical prowess. Carrey learns his lesson in the end and endeavors to be a better father.

“How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (2000)
By now, we can all tell that Jim Carrey is a great character actor, and it’s with these roles he gets to let loose as a standout physical comedian. In this Christmas fantasy flick, he plays the titular Grinch as he attempts to ruin Christmas. One moment sees him singing to himself as he builds his own sleigh - and well, you can’t make a sleigh without testing it, right? What follows is a laugh-out-loud moment as the Grinch slams into a wall, crumpling the sleigh and turning him limp. Recovering moments later, he notes that the airbags are a little slow. Indeed they are, Mister Grinch.

“Liar Liar” (1997)
Can you imagine not being able to tell a lie for 24 hours? We’re sure it’s easier for some than others, but for Fletcher, it’s torture. He finds out the hard way when he gets in an elevator with a woman who’s just moved into the building. Carrey’s reactions are priceless every time he blurts out the truth, but he can’t stop, and digs himself further and further into a hole. Watching him struggle internally is hilarious, and it makes us wonder what would happen if we found ourselves in his situation. Best not to think about that.

“Dumb and Dumber” (1994)
This would probably have been cut from the movie if it were not for Carrey’s timing. The scene was totally improvised. Like a lot of Carrey's work, the spontaneity and commitment to the bit are what makes it so funny. These two gentlemen were outside the gas station when director Peter Farrelly asked if they wanted to stand outside for the scene. It's a massive surprise that they didn't break down in laughter after the beautiful delivery of the random line. As per usual, Carrey took this opportunity for improvisation and made it into cinema gold.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

In the Mental Hospital, “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” (1994)
Because He’s Wearing a Tutu

Bruce Nolan Has a “Titanic” Freakout, “Bruce Almighty” (2003)
The Eyewitness News Reporter Takes His Frustration Out on the Air

“Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls” (1995)
Moments of ridiculousness and absurdity are the norm when it comes to a Jim Carrey movie, but this particular scene may just be pushing those boundaries. While hiding in a robotic rhino, things start to get a little warm for Ace Ventura.. With the release hatch broken, the pet detective only has one exit. Onlookers gather around for what they think is a mother rhino giving birth. How wrong they are. Watching every attempt Carrey makes to break free is hilarious, especially thanks to his varied expressions and erratic movements. He finally slides out, but having left all his clothes behind, his “delivery” into the world ultimately scares all the men, women and children looking on.