I’ve been pulling for Jim Carrey the whole way, I tell you. I was a massive fan in the 90s, starting with “the white guy on ‘In Living Color’” days, through the silly comedies critics loathed and the eventual Oscar-baiting (some of it actually worthy).
The last decade has seen ups and downs for the actor. Things started nicely with box office smashes like “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and “Bruce Almighty,” but things really wore thin on “Fun with Dick and Jane” and “Yes Man,” to say nothing of the abysmal “The Number 23.”
There was the peculiar pre-break-up breakdown earlier this year to cause concern, but then there are the career-topping performances in “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and this 2010’s “I Love You Phillip Morris” to consider as well. The latter, I think, might be his best work to date.
I ask the question in the headline because I wonder if it’s possible the trajectory keeps going in the new year. Coming off his “Phillip Morris” performance, Carrey will dive into his first stint hosting Saturday Night Live in 14 years tomorrow night. His only other stab, back in 1996, was one of the series’s best episodes, in my view.
Then on Monday, he’ll be on James Lipton’s “Inside the Actor’s Studio” for the first time (after Lipton had tried to make it happen for nearly two decades). I’ll admit that “Mr. Popper’s Penguins” seems to be tonally derivative and I wish he’d try something more unique, but nevertheless, I’m still pulling for him. As always. He’s a unique and gifted talent.
Check out an exclusive clip from the “Inside the Actor’s Studio” appearance with added info to boot at Entertainment Weekly’s Inside Movies blog.
[Photo: 20th Century Fox]
Comments
29 responses to “Jim Carrey on the rise?”
Carrey’s incessant mugging in I Love You Phillip Morris is unbearable. His offensive vanity project is among the year’s worst film and yet another embarrassing addition to a body of work that’s astonishingly awful. I adore Oscar for refusing to sanction his lack of talent.
I disagree Larry — the “mugging” as you cal it works perfectly for this character who is always “on”, always “acting” to the point he likely lost who he really was in the first place — never have Carrey’s gifts been used to such stunning advantage — Kris nails here with a great call, maybe his best of the year, the man is deserving of that elusive Oscar nomination and attention is finally being paid to this extraordinary film and wonderful performance. Consider this — an actor receives the script and sees the written word on the page that they have been hired to bring to life — if you can manage it get a copy of the script and read it, and then watch the film again and marvel at how Carrey brilliantly brings this character to life — I hope, I really hope he’s Oscar bound for this, because he should have been there for Man in the Moon and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
Carrey deserved an Oscar nomination for Man on the Moon. (I won’t say a win, because Spacey was great)
I had no idea he was hosting Actors Studio and cannot wait to see it now. I haven’t watched the show in quite a while.
I didn’t like Carrey’s turn in “I Love You Phillip Morris,” but I mostly blame the story (which I’m amazed pulled a WGA nod). He is ridiculously underrated on the dramatic side – he should have won the Oscar for “The Truman Show,” and while Winslet outshined him, he was wonderful in “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” too. (Plus, I’d say that’s her career-best role.) I will be interested to see what direction his career takes, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he took Oscar eventually.
Joseph: Agreed. He was also pretty good in The Truman Show.
“Carrey deserved an Oscar nomination for Man on the Moon. (I won’t say a win, because Spacey was great)”
Joseph,
I’d want him to win if he were nominated. I love that performance.
I am pretty much in agreement that “I Love You Phillip Morris” is possibly the best performances of Carrey’s career. It was the perfect marriage of all his talents. And while I definitely enjoy the movie and its story, it wouldn’t have been half as good without his talents.
Jim Carrey is tremendously talented and he is a comedic genius , but I despise his incessant need to be over-the-top and to outperform his fellow actors . It can be annoying on the level of Robin Williams. Their are times , I can’t bear to watch him on talk shows.
Another problem for Jim , it is challenging to find wonderfully written comedic scripts with gifted directors that can do justice to these comedic films .
I am still in shock , the Academy didn’t nominate him for his solid performances in “The Truman Show” and “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.”
P.S. Why does the Acting Branch of the Academy continues to mostly ignore wonderful comedic performances ? I am still in awe of : Steve Martin’s brilliance in “Roxanne”, Eddie Murphy in the first “Nutty Professor” , Bill Murray in “Groundhog Day ” , and Nicole Kidman’s “To Die For”. When Frances McDormand won her well-deserved Oscar, I was absolutely overjoyed because it was one of the rare comedic performances that was recognized .
I like the SNL clip. Uncommon to see the host as the star of the sketch, rather than as a mere pawn for Wiig and the others to play around.
How on Earth is starring in a gay romance that he knew was always going to have trouble being distributed and in which he’s made up to look ridiculous a lot of the time… how on Earth is that a vanity project?
perhaps we’re too used to seeing carrey in auto-pilot… but i’m going to have to agree with those who say his performance is over-the-top in “phillip morris”… he never quite shows the range that is needed in an oscar-worthy performance, and brings the same ol’ carrey tics and trademarks to the role which ultimately make it an unbelievable real-life character.
I’ve always preferred Carrey in his dramatic roles to his comedic ones. As a dramatic actor, he’s first-rate. “The Truman Show”, “Man on the Moon”, “The Majestic” (which I think is his best performance), even his dramatic intensity and range in “A Christmas Carol” is great (though it is obviously lost on some due to the use of Performance Capture). I haven’t seen “Philip Morris” yet, but I really want to. Hopefully after “Penguins” he’ll be able to take the lead in the Lee Atwater project that Adam McKay wants to get off the ground. It seems like another great match for Carrey’s talents.
The Number 23 really wasn’t that bad
It was abysmal.
I don’t get the hate for I Love You, Phillip Morris. Maybe it’s my gay bias (I usually see beyond this, actually), but I thought it was a raucously hilarious film. Carrey was very good, but actually, for me, McGregor absolutely stole the show and commanded every scene he was in, subtly, to be his. It’s a pity these two were passed over for Golden Globe nominations, in favor of *gag*…no, I shouldn’t say it, I’ll lose my waffles.
I thought Yes Man was pretty good actually… and it was a big box office success…
I like Jim Carrey a lot, but I finally saw I Love You Phillip Morris and thought he was awful in it. He’s supposed to be some great con artist, even though he makes it obvious that his character is phony and not to be trusted. McGregor was far more impressive.
I very much appreciate reading comments like those of John H. Foote, eurocheese and Tom C – it is truly affirming to read opinions that are similar to mine.
I PARTICULARLY respect Mr. Foote’s comment about seeing the written word on the page and then making it come alive. There is a courage and a power in Mr. Carrey’s choices that make him a very rare beast indeed. It is always so much safer and cosier to be cautious as an actor but then you will never, every quite reach genius (which I feel Carrey has touched on several times).
And here here to john t. – it is a damn shame that the Academy continues to ignore wonderful comedy performances.
The one regret I have about Carrey is that he’s never had a really sexual role yet – I think he could be amazing and unforgetable exploring desire and passion in a “realistic” environment. Maybe they should do DANGEROUS LIAISONS again and let Carrey play Valmont!
I certainly would not say this is his best performance in “Philip Morris”, but it probably is his second best after “Eternal Sunshine”. I really think his “mugging” works well for this character because he never grows up when he found out he was adopted. He was like a puppy trapped in an adult body trying to please everyone even though he had to lie to make people love him and hold onto those people. I think the problem is the movie because it doesn’t have a stable tone. To me, the comic element is too overwhelming at times. I would probably prefer a dramedy very dark.
BTW, I do think McGregor does very good work, almost award worthy, and I would not hesitate to replace Bridges with Carrey.
The Mask and Dumb & Dumber are two of my favorite movies.
I liked his quote from when presented the Oscar to Blake Edwards:
“They don’t let me have these, man.”
I didn’t had the chance to see I Love you Philip Moris yet but I think Jim Carrey is a good actor and many people I know thought he gave a great performance.
He’s a very talented comedic actor and therefore quite good playing dramatic roles.Same as Robin Williams.
In my opinion it’s normally easier for a good comedic actor to play other genres well than the reverse. It’s more difficult to perform comedy well than drama for instance.
Unfortunately, I live in an area where Phillip Morris won’t see the light of day. But it would be great if there were a way to swap Franco for Carrey.
I loved Carrey in “Phillip Morris.” There was one scene that wasn’t quite there (for me). His last scene with Rodrigo. He just didn’t “go there.” If you disagree, compare to Bruce Davison in similar scene in “Longtime Companion.” He did more with less.
But, despite that, Carrey was amazing. Good movie too. Incredible story.
I couldn’t get through 10 minutes of his SNL
Jim Carrey was disappointing on SNL ( and the SNL writers ) . He performed with the same over- the-top & bombastic schtick that was mostly unfunny.
Anne Hathaway, surprisingly, will probably be the best SNL host this season- the female Justin Timberlake of SNL. Anne is funny and has a good ear for impressions. No wonder she got the Oscar co-hosting gig, this lady outshone some acting giants this year on SNL : Robert De Niro, Jane Lynch, Bryan Cranston, Jeff Bridges, and now Jim Carrey.
Amy Poehler: Best SNL 2010-2011 Season (so far)
I can’t get through 10 minutes of any SNL anymore.