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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.

Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
Warner Bros.


8.3

based on 14 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 6 votes
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FILM:

MPAA RATING: PG-13 for off-color humor and some nudity

Starring Jim Carrey, Courteney Cox, Sean Young, Tone Loc, Dan Marino, Noble Willingham, Troy Evans, and Raynor Scheine

He's the best there is, in fact, he's the only one there is! He's Ace Ventura Pet Detective. Jim Carrey is on the case to find the Miami Dolphins' missing mascot and quarterback Dan Marino. He goes eyeball to eyeball with a man-eating shark, stakes out the Miami Dolphins and woos and wows the ladies. Whether he's undercover, under fire or underwater, he always gets his man -- or beast. (Warner Bros.)

GENRE(S):	Action \| Comedy \| Mystery \| Suspense/Thriller
WRITTEN BY:	Jack Bernstein (also story) Tom Shadyac Jim Carrey
DIRECTED BY:	Tom Shadyac
RELEASE DATE:	DVD: August 26, 1997 Video: June 14, 1994 Theatrical: February 4, 1994
RUNNING TIME:	86 minutes, Color
ORIGIN:	USA

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Washington Post Rita Kempley

A riot from start to finish, Carrey's first feature comedy is as cheerfully bawdy as it is idiotically inventive.

Washington Post Desson Thomson

Treat this project as you would a safari: It has its slow parts but the wildlife makes it worthwhile.

Los Angeles Times Chris Willman

He's so over-energized from the start you keep thinking he'll wear out his welcome pronto; an hour and a half later, his lunacy is still hard to take your eyes off. [04Feb1994 Pg. F6]

TV Guide Staff(not credited)

Ace Ventura: Pet Detective marks the ascendance of a new star in film farce, as Jim Carrey elevates this stupid, suprisingly shoddy picture into the comedy stratosphere, mainly thanks to his Gumby-like ability to contort his face and body in the most amazing ways.

USA Today Susan Wloszczyna

While the rubber-limbed Carrey may not yet be in the hyper-manic league of Jerry Lewis or Robin Williams, his psychotic energy goes a long way to make this plot-anemic comedy palatable. [04Feb1994 Pg. 07.D]

The New York Times Stephen Holden

The movie has the metabolism, logic and attention span of a peevish 6-year-old.

Empire Julian Ketchum

Neither terrible, boring nor soporific, just not very funny.

Variety Steven Gaydos

Seemingly clueless as to how best to utilize Carrey, or make humorous hay out of its pet-loving shamus' central character, Ventura fails to place either Carrey or Ace in the winner's circle of memorable screen crazies.

ReelViews James Berardinelli

From the start, it's obvious that this is a vehicle for his comedy, and it mostly works -- for about ten to fifteen minutes. After that, Carrey's act gradually grows less humorous and more tiresome, and the laughter in the audience seems forced.

Austin Chronicle Marjorie Baumgarten

Manic energy is the term that comes most readily to mind when describing Ace Ventura.

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

I found the movie a long, unfunny slog through an impenetrable plot. Kids might like it.

Chicago Reader Jonathan Rosenbaum

The most obnoxious case of masculine swagger since Andrew Dice Clay, with just a tad of Paul Lynde thrown in for spice, Jim Carrey defies you not to bolt for the exit while playing the title hero in this 1994 comic mystery.

The New Yorker Michael Sragow

In this smutty kiddie farce he's a clownish action toy, and he grows wearying, fast.

Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman

Carrey suggests an escaped mental patient impersonating a game-show host-and, what's worse, his hyperbolically obnoxious shtick is the whole damned show.

The average user rating for this movie is 8.3 (out of 10) based on 6 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

R D. gave it an8:
Very funny movie. Carrey gives a great performance.

Pat C. gave it a3:
Jim Carrey establishes himself as the go-to guy when just a little over the top simply won't do.

Jamie B. gave it a9:
Surprisingly enjoyable, either in spite of or because of it's goofiness. Jim Carrey never showed less effort in a performance. If you think that's a good thing, then you might like this movie.

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Ace Ventura: Pet Detective Warner Bros.

Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
Warner Bros.