30 Years Later, This Masterpiece Is Still the Best Jim Carrey Comedy Ever Made

30 years ago, in 1994, Chuck Russell's The Mask, starring Jim Carrey, was released. Originally conceived as a brutal horror film, the adaptation of the Dark Horse Comics comic book of the same name was later transformed into an action comedy.

The Mask Was Jim Carrey's Finest Hour

The Mask became a benefit performance for Jim Carrey and instantly turned the comedian into a Hollywood superstar. Before Chuck Russell's movie, the Canadian actor became famous thanks to his leading role in the detective comedy Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and The Mask only cemented his status as a rising star.

After the success of the movie, Jim Carrey woke up not only a Golden Globe nominee, but also a millionaire. If the fee for appearing in Russell's film was limited to several hundred thousand dollars, after The Mask the price for Carrey's work increased more than tenfold.

The Mask Is the Actor's Most Personal Project

However, later it turned out that the famous actor is struggling with bipolar disorder and only humor helps him not to fall into depression.

And this is the context that inadvertently gives The Mask more depth. Stanley Ipkiss escaped the reality surrounding him with the help of a dancing and grimacing alter ego, just like Jim Carrey himself.

The Canadian actor really brought a lot of personal stuff to the movie. Whether it was the yellow suit, which was specially prepared at his request as a tribute to his mother, who had sewn him a similar suit for his first screen tests; the actor's improvisation scenes, which were included in the final cut of the film; or the constant lines from old movies.

It turns out that The Mask is not only a brilliant action comedy, but also one of the most personal films in Jim Carrey's filmography.

The Mask Has the Most Charming Secondary Character

However, the viewers loved and continue to love The Mask for its therapeutic, sparkling humor, abundance of pop culture references, and an upbeat dance number to the song Cuban Pete. And of course, we should not forget the movie's smallest character, who also stuck his nose into the magic mask.

Ipkiss' pet – a Jack Russell terrier named Milo – is the brightest and most memorable of the supporting characters. The director later admitted that Milo was originally intended to be a supporting character. However, the adorable dog charmed the film crew so much that his role was significantly expanded.

Not surprisingly, Jack Russells are still in vogue after The Mask. Who would turn down such a charming assistant?