Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

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Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

PG-13

1994

1h 26m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

48%

Tomatometer

65 Reviews

57%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

When the dolphin mascot of Miami's NFL team is abducted, Ace Ventura, a zany private investigator who specializes in finding missing animals, looks into the case. Soon Miami Dolphins players are kidnapped too, including star player Dan Marino, making Ace's sleuth work even more pressing. Working with Dolphins representative Melissa Robinson, Ace closes in on the culprits, but not before many ridiculous misadventures.

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Critics Consensus

Jim Carrey's twitchy antics and gross-out humor are on full, bombastic display in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, which is great news for fans of his particular brand of comedy but likely unsatisfying for anyone else.

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Michael Hutak

Sydney Morning Herald

Feb 28, 2024

Ace Ventura is puerile, brain-numbing and forgettable.

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Chris Willman

Los Angeles Times

Apr 2, 2019

Playing a celebrated finder of missing mammals, [Carrey's] so over-energized from the start you keep thinking he'll wear out his welcome pronto; 90 minutes later his lunacy is still hard to take your eyes off.

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Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Nov 8, 2010

F

Carrey suggests an escaped mental patient impersonating a game-show host.

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Grant Watson

Fiction Machine

Apr 13, 2026

6/10

Jokes come thick and fast, in the form of snappy dialogue, eccentric behaviour, weird line deliveries, and a near-perpetual stream of film and pop culture references.

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Fico Cangiano

CineXpress Podcast

May 5, 2025

3/5

Wacky and absurd, Pet Detective is the perfect stage for Jim Carrey to show off his physical comedy skills. And it's amazing to behold. [Full review in Spanish]

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Rob Gonsalves

Rob's Movie Vault

Aug 31, 2022

D

The twist ending is unnecessary and has the unsavory side effect of teaching millions of young Ace fans that it’s unimaginably gross for a man to kiss a trans woman — this from a movie whose hero talks out of his butt.

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keven Q

@kevenquinlan Sep 10, 2026

If this gets anything other than 4= the people are temperamental. It's SO original. It is, kind of, Jim Carrey at his Zenith. The story is fun and never bores, the physical comedy and lines= all fantastic. I consider this a 'Classic' in the comedy genre and anyone who doesn't- doesn't know humor. An easy keeper.

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Robert P

@Superbad Sep 8, 2026

Not a very good movie if you love bad language

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Thomas P

@DubstepGuyMeow Aug 19, 2026

It’s good, it has Jim carry

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KarthiK P.

@madkarthi Aug 18, 2026

From start to finish. Jim Carrey completely steals the show with his incredible comedic timing. His wild facial expressions. bizarre physical mannerisms and signature walking style make me laugh uncontrollably throughout the entire film. He truly proves why he is an absolute comedic genius and an alltime favorite. The pet detective premise is weird. fun. and interesting. Serving as the perfect showcase for his chaotic energy and unique acting style. It is an endlessly entertaining comedy with great replay value that is definitely worth rewatching again and again.

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Chris S

@Janomi Aug 10, 2026

Ace Ventura: Pet Detective has plenty to like because Jim Carrey commits so completely to the character. The voices, faces, movement, posture, and bizarre confidence make Ace impossible to forget. His physical comedy is the whole engine of the movie. The pet-detective premise is wonderfully stupid in the right way. A missing dolphin investigation gives the movie a ridiculous hook, and it moves quickly from one goofy scene to the next without worrying too much about logic. Courteney Cox helps ground the story as Melissa, giving Ace someone more normal to bounce off. The movie is packed with quotable lines and gestures that became a huge part of Carrey’s comedy identity. The downside is that Ace can be exhausting. His energy is the point, but he is so loud and constant that it wears thin, especially if you remember every 10-year-old boy copying him for months afterward.

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Easton B

@Ebmoviemaster2026 Aug 9, 2026

HILARIOUS, JIM CARREY IS THE BEST COMEDIAN!!!!!!!!!!!

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Tom Shadyac

Director

Jim Carrey

Ace Ventura

Courteney Cox

Melissa Robinson

Sean Young

Lt. Lois Einhorn

Tone Loc

Emilio

Dan Marino

Self

Juwanna Mann

9%

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Synopsis

When the dolphin mascot of Miami's NFL team is abducted, Ace Ventura, a zany private investigator who specializes in finding missing animals, looks into the case. Soon Miami Dolphins players are kidnapped too, including star player Dan Marino, making Ace's sleuth work even more pressing. Working with Dolphins representative Melissa Robinson, Ace closes in on the culprits, but not before many ridiculous misadventures.

Director: Tom Shadyac
Producer: James G. Robinson
Screenwriter: Jake Bernstein, Tom Shadyac, Jim Carrey
Distributor: Warner Bros., Argentina Video Home
Production Co: Warner Brothers, Morgan Creek Productions
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 4, 1994, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 6, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $71.2M
Runtime: 1h 26m
Sound Mix: Surround

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