Stanley Ipkiss (Jim Carrey) is the embodiment of the “nice guy”. He goes out of his way for others, only to get the short end of the stick, or people just walk all over him. Whether it’s a co-worker he bought concert tickets for, the mechanics ripping him off, or his landlord giving him hell, he just takes it.
One night, he sees what looks like a body in a river. He rushes down to rescue, but only finds it’s garbage. But, in the garbage is a mask. Before he can put it on, a police patrol finds him.
When he makes his way back home, he finally puts on the mask, and morphs into a personification of Tex Avery animated lunacy. He first takes revenge on the people who wronged him, then goes on to engage in devil-may-care merrymaking. This puts him in the sights of the Edge City police and a local aspiring crime boss who intends to use the mask for his own nefarious purposes.
1994 showed to be the breakthrough year for comedian Jim Carrey. Granted, Carrey had been in films prior. Once Bitten, Peggy Sue Got Married, The Dead Pool, and Earth Girls are Easy stand out in his early filmography. It wasn’t until 1994 that he rose to prominence and became a superstar.
1994 IN FILM: Wes Craven’s New Nightmare and the Effect of Horror on Creators
In 1994, Carrey had a one-two-three punch of hit comedies: Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask, and Dumb & Dumber. While all three showcase Carrey’s talents, I have a fondness for The Mask, and it’s Carrey at his most natural state. You watch his stand-up or his sketches from In Living Color, and you’re watching the closest thing to a real life cartoon character.
Jim Carrey as the Mask is a near perfect casting pair of actor and character. Similar to Robin Williams as the Genie from Aladdin, or later on with Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark, or even Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool. This was also possible, in no small part, due to the CGI talent of Industrial Light and Magic, as well as director Chuck Russell.
A year prior, in 1993, Industrial Light and Magic brought dinosaurs back to life for Jurassic Park. Earlier in the same month as the release of The Mask, ILM put Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump across from the likes of John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, and Richard Nixon. And the funny thing is, the effects look miles better than much of the CGI we see today.
Chuck Russell was the perfect fit for the directorial duties for The Mask. This is the man who directed Nightmare on Elm Street 3: the Dream Warriors, the film that gave us the Freddy Krueger we know and love. Russell was also the director of the revered Blob remake in 1988.
1994 IN FILM: The Crow
Screenwriter Mike Werb deserves credit for adapting the Dark Horse comic. If you read the actual comic books for The Mask, he’s a hyper realistic homicidal maniac that’s more befitting the gory comedies of early Peter Jackson. Yet, Werb was able to bring out the cartoonish nature of the character while still maintaining some of the edginess. The “Sorry, wrong pocket” line never fails to crack me up.
In addition to Carrey, you have a strong supporting cast, filled with game character actors. Peter Greene adds some legitimate tension as Dorian, an ambitious criminal underling. Cameron Diaz makes her feature film debut. Peter Riegert, stand-up comic Richard Jeni, Ben “Bueller” Stein, and Reg E. Cathey are stand outs in bit parts.
The Mask is a film that still holds up. Jim Carrey in his peak, surrounded by great foils for his comedy. ILM, Chuck Russell, and Mike Werb providing one of the best comic book movies before they were cool. This is one to revisit!
The Mask is available to stream on iTunes.