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The "Dirty" Harry Callahan hairstyle, crazy Hawaiian shirts and killer catchphrases, it can only mean one thing: Jim Carrey in the role that propelled his unique persona into the limelight. After watching the regular "Stupid Pet Tricks" vignette on Late Night with David Letterman in the early 1990s, screenwriter Jack Bernstein thought of the imaginative Ace Ventura character – a peculiar and somewhat unconventionally humorous detective who specialises in cases regarding pet animals. Carrey is undoubtedly very funny, never missing a chance to dazzle with hilarity, but unfortunately, director Tom Shadyac cannot seem to make the plot engrossing enough. The premise of trying to retrieve Snowflake, the Miami Dolphins' mascot, in time for Super Bowl Sunday is original and certainly contains all the slapstick one would expect, just not quite enough quality for the feature’s 90 minute running time.
This is Shadyac's first collaboration with Carrey before the more recent successes of Liar Liar (1997) and Bruce Almighty (2003) and it shows. One feels that Shadyac was running out of ideas during production which prompted him to think that Carrey's rubber-faced clown act was funny enough to pad out the film. To be fair, it was quite a safe bet. Firstly, if the method was approved by audiences, which it was as the box-office suggests, he could claim all the approval himself by saying he encourages "improvisation on the set" etc. In addition, if it was deemed as lunacy too far, Shadyac could blame his hopeful star for his "domineering ways". In actuality, he does have a case for the latter point because surely nobody would be able to ask their star to act in such a schizophrenic way. Could they? Luckily the duo escaped severe critical or commercial punishment for their shallow attempt at narrative and the result is a rather stupid but entertaining piece.
Courtney Cox and Sean Young are able support but Dan Marino is everything you would expect from an American football player undertaking a cameo – dire in a similar way to Brett Favre from There's Something About Mary (1998). The film gallops along at a rapid pace but one subconsciously wonders what could have happened to Carrey's flourishing career had the audience not received this important portrayal accordingly.
The extras
Zilch.
The summary
Nonsensical and ludicrous comedy behaviour can be occasionally funny and Jim Carrey stars in this good illustration with few misfires, just a deprived plot.
