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Chuck Russell
July 28, 1994
Jim Carrey’s character, Stanley Ipkiss, a shy bank teller, finds a magical mask that houses the Loki spirit, and it completely transforms his life. Ipkiss morphs into a magical playboy while the mask is on, exuding charisma and confidence, which enables him to attract the attention of Tina Carlyle, a local nightclub singer (Cameron Diaz). Unfortunately, while under the influence of the mask, Ipkiss robs a bank as well, which enrages young criminal boss Dorian Tyrell (Peter Greene), whose goons are held responsible for the theft.
Every time Stanley, the nerd, is on screen, the movie becomes quiet and nearly boring. Even though we might feel a bit bad about it, we continue to wait for the green guy to return. Hey, didn’t you feel the same way while you waited for Batman or Superman to don their costumes again? This however doesn’t mean he is doing something wrong, the opposite in fact. When he isn’t behind the mask he is at the same pace as everyone else, but when he puts it on, everyone is lapped.
The rest of the cast (Peter Riegert as the Lieutenant, Amy Yasbeck as a reporter, Richard Jeni as a buddy, and Ben Stein as a doctor) fills in for extra comedic relief, which is rarely necessary when Carrey is in charge. Diaz makes a great debut as the seductive eye candy mafia moll. The villains, who are also played by well-known character actors, are notably eviler than in most lighthearted comedies. This is done to juxtapose the absurdity of The Mask’s schemes and the bad situations Ipkiss keeps finding himself in. It’s also worth noticing Max the dog’s excellent portrayal as Stanley’s very smart buddy, Milo.
The lingering question now is, when will we get tired of Carrey’s over-acting? The answer is probably never. If it is constantly used properly in movies that require an over the top face-shifting-pro, he will absolutely be here to stay.
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