Jim Carrey has given audiences some of the funniest movie quotes over the years and introduced us to countless unforgettable characters. But most of those roles like Ace Ventura, Lloyd Christmas, Charlie Baileygates/Hank Evans, and others behave like an absolute sociopath more times than not.
That being said, let’s go back and revisit some of those beloved (for the most part) and sociopathic characters we will never forget, for better or worse.
Selling A Dead Bird To A Blind Kid (Dumb And Dumber)
Lloyd Christmas is definitely one of Jim Carrey’s best characters. And while he may not be as unhinged or sociopathic as some of his other roles, let’s not forget the fact that Lloyd sold Harry’s dead bird to a blind kid. To make it worse, he didn’t tell Harry and pocketed the $25 for his own snack fund.
Robbing A Bank (The Mask)
While it may be true that Stanley Ipkiss wasn’t the one controlling the titular character in The Mask when he robbed the bank like a cartoon character, that kind of makes the meek banker even more of a sociopath.
Talking Out Of His Butt, Literally (Ace Ventura: Pet Detective)
Jim Carrey’s iconic animal lover from Ace Ventura: Pet Detective does a lot of good in this 1994 comedy classic, but he’s also an unhinged maniac throughout it. Case in point… the time Ace spoke out of his butt, literally, when pestering Tone Loc’s Emilio at the police station.
When Fletcher Misses His Son’s Birthday (Liar Liar)
Missing your son’s birthday (amongst other major events) with little to no remorse and a complete lack of empathy or remorse is wild, but hey, that’s Fletcher Reede in Liar Liar. No wonder his son wished that his father could no longer lie.
Transmitting Brainwaves To All Of Gotham (Batman Forever)
Though not the best Batman movie villain, Jim Carrey’s Riddler from Batman Forever is iconic in his own right. Still, the dude is as sociopathic as he is over the top, especially when he starts transmitting brainwaves to all of Gotham City.
When Hank Makes His First Appearance (Me, Myself & Irene)
Charlie Baileygates transforming into Hank Evans for the first time in Me, Myself & Irene is an insanely hilarious movie moment. Does he go too far when he finally snaps at that mother and her kids at the grocery store? Yeah, but they kind of deserved it.
Chip Manipulating Steven Into Hanging Out (The Cable Guy)
You could make a list with nothing but Ernie "Chip" Douglas being a sociopath in The Cable Guy, but we’ll keep it short. Early on in the movie, we get a glimpse of Chip’s mental state when he manipulates Steven into hanging out with him when the recently dumped 30-something just wants some free movie channels.
Blindly Answering 3,152,933 Prayers With ‘Yes’ (Bruce Almighty)
Bruce Almighty has its fair share of sociopathic moments from Jim Carrey’s Bruce Nolan, including the time he blindly answers 3,152,933 prayers with a simple ‘Yes.” What prayers is he answering? We don’t know and neither does he.
Turning To A Life Of Crime (Fun With Dick And Jane)
Losing your job and not being able to find steady employment can have a toll on someone’s spirit and mental state, but that doesn’t mean you should turn to a life of crime. Well, that’s what happens with Jim Carrey’s titular character in Fun with Dick and Jane.
Getting Revenge On A Neighbor (Me, Myself & Irene)
We’ve all dealt with neighbors taking advantage of our kindness or flat-out stealing from us or letting their dog poop in our yard. However, that doesn’t mean we should act like Charlie/Hank in Me, Myself & Irene and do our business in our neighbor’s grass.
‘Wanna Hear The Most Annoying Sound In The World?’ (Dumb and Dumber)
The “Wanna hear the most annoying sound in the world?” scene in Dumb and Dumber is one of the funniest moments from any ‘90s comedy movie, but our boy Lloyd Christmas is maniacal with that god-awful sound.
Stealing All The Christmas Presents (How The Grinch Stole Christmas)
Yeah, it’s part of the Grinch’s gimmick to steal all the presents from Whoville, but this doesn’t justify hurting so many people solely because you hate the holiday. How the Grinch Stole Christmas shows us what not to do in this situation.
The ‘Finkle Is Einhorn’ Scene (Ace Ventura: Pet Detective)
Yeah, Ray Finkle/Lois Einhorn is technically the villain in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, but the way in which the antagonist was exposed by Jim Carrey’s titular character was wild. Sure, it led to some laughs at the time, but too far, Ace. Too far!
When Bruce Takes Control Of Evan’s Voice (Bruce Almighty)
Evan Baxter is self-centered and power-hungry in Bruce Almighty, but the same can be said for Jim Carrey’s jealous, vindictive, and sociopathic character. The whole abusing the powers of God to get back at your enemies, even in hilarious scenes like this one, isn’t the best way of going about things.
When Edward Nygma Throws His Boss Out Of A Window (Batman Forever)
There’s a point of no return in Batman Forever and that comes very early on when Edward Nygma throws his boss out of the window at Wayne Industries when he’s about to be sacked. Rejection is a hard pill to swallow for some.
Puts A Baby In A Cage (Lemony Snicket’s A Series Of Unfortunate Events)
Who puts a baby in a cage high above a decaying mansion? Well, no other than Count Olaf in Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, that’s who. Jim Carrey’s monstrous character is no prince charming before this key scene, but this doesn’t make it any better either.
The Letterman Scene (Man On The Moon)
One of the best movie scenes featuring a professional wrestler, the moment in Man on the Moon recreating Andy Kaufman and Jerry Lawler’s legendary brawl on Late Night with David Letterman is incredible. But let’s not forget that Jim Carrey’s character was a sociopath (as was Lawler) for not letting anyone else in on the gag.
Faking His Own Death To Be With His Lover (I Love You, Phillip Morris)
Jim Carrey’s Steven Jay Russell in I Love You Phillip Morris is one of the comedian’s wildest roles, but it’s never really talked about all that much. Maybe it’s because his character is an unabashed sociopath who’ll do anything to get what he wants in life, even if it means faking his death to be with his lover.
‘You Know What’s Hard About Being The Smartest Person In The World?’ (Sonic The Hedgehog)
Dr. Robotnik is smart, there’s no denying that. Is Jim Carrey’s villain from Sonic the Hedgehog the smartest person in the world? Probably so. However, he lacks humility, restraint, remorse, or anything else that prevents someone from becoming a sociopath.
The Bathroom Beating (The Cable Guy)
Beating up some random guy who is on a date with the girl who dumped a guy who isn’t really your friend is something you should probably avoid, but don’t tell that to Chip in The Cable Guy. Owen Wilson’s character never stood a chance. In fact, he never knew why he was being attacked before it started.
Driving Across The Country For The Woman Of His Dreams (Dumb And Dumber)
Love can make you do some crazy things, but driving across the country to return a briefcase to a woman you met once on the way to the airport and then obsessing over her takes things to the next level. Lloyd Christmas never ceases to amaze, or scare, us.
Controlling The Giant Robot While Listening To Pantera (Sonic The Hedgehog 2)
Dr. Robotnik taking control of a massive robot was only a matter of time, but the big bad in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 took things to the next level in this 2022 sequel. If destroying a town isn’t bad enough, this guy does it to Pantera’s “Walk,” which is both completely random and incredibly on-brand.
The Torture Scene (Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls)
The torture scene in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls has to be the most unhinged moment of Jim Carrey’s career. The knives and fork on the plate, the eyeball, everything is just so much.
Uses His Power To Make Tina Carlyle Fall For Him (The Mask)
The Mask is one of the most iconic ‘90s movie characters, but he’s also one of the most manipulative. Just look at the way he makes Cameron Diaz’s Tina Carlyle fall in love with him with his theatrics and off-the-wall behavior. It’s not like she doesn’t have any agency in this relationship, but Tina is no match for the cartoonish antics of this guy.
Making The Moon Bigger To Set The Mood (Bruce Almighty)
Jim Carrey’s character does a lot of good in Bruce Almighty, but he also makes some questionable decisions, especially whenever he tries to use his divine powers to take advantage of various situations with his girlfriend (played by Jennifer Anniston). In one scene in particular, he makes the moon bigger and the stars brighter to better set the mood.
‘The Marvelous Marriage’ (Lemony Snicket's A Series Of Unfortunate Events)
There’s no way of getting around it, Count Olaf in Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events is a self-serving, egotistical, dirty rotten scoundrel who’ll do anything he can to get what he wants. What about marrying a young girl to take her family’s vast fortune for himself? Well, about that crazy act of psychotic sociopathy…
‘We Could Have Been Blood Brothers’ (The Cable Guy)
If someone were to call you and say “We could have been blood brothers,” you’d probably freak out, hang up the phone, and lock your doors, right? Well, those chilling words are uttered by Jim Carrey’s Chip in The Cable Guy when he finally starts to snap (like actually snap and not just be aggressively off-putting). Those words still send shivers down the spine after all these years.
Edward Obsessing Over Bruce Wayne (Batman Forever)
Before he was a criminal genius taking over Gotham City with his brainwaves (and the help of Two-Face and his goons), Edward Nygma was a dangerously intelligent scientist who’d do anything to impress Bruce Wayne. So much so that the soon-to-be-canned Wayne Industries employee had an unhealthy obsession with the man behind the bat in Batman Forever.
The Blue Pen Scene (Liar Liar)
When it comes to Jim Carrey's on-screen meltdowns, few come close to touching the blue pen scene from Liar Liar in which Fletcher Reeded tries his hardest to lie after his son’s birthday wish goes into effect. Just imagine walking through your office building and seeing a man with ink all over his face yelling, “The pen is blue.”
Hiding An Entire Zoo In His Apartment (Ace Ventura: Pet Detective)
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective doesn’t waste a second showing us that Jim Carrey’s titular character loves animals so much that he’s willing to go against social norms (and upset everyone in his complex) by hiding an entire zoo in his small apartment. It’s not only gross, but it’s also dangerous to those furry creatures he claims to call friends.
Andy Kaufman Reading The Great Gatsby (Man On The Moon)
Yeah, this was one of Andy Kaufman’s best and most iconic bits, but it’s still the work of a sociopath in Man on the Moon. Jim Carrey’s version of the late comedian reading The Great Gatsby in its entirety is absolutely bonkers. Is it hilarious? Yes. Is it legendary? Yes again. But it’s totally the act of an absolute sociopath.
The Red Bull Scene (Yes Man)
Yes Man is a Jim Carrey movie that doesn’t come up as much as Dumb and Dumber or Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, but it’s not without its own hilarious and unhinged moments. What about the scene where Carl Allen drinks way too much Red Bull and decides to go on an early-morning run? It’s ridiculous and ridiculously unhealthy.
