Jim Carrey at his slapstick best

Rating: 6/10 (10 April 2020)

On the face of it (sorry, couldn't resist), The Mask is a fairly awful movie. The story is ridiculous and the acting, by and large, is quite atrocious. It's essentially a cartoon with real-life humans superimposed onto it. However, thanks to the sheer brilliance of Jim Carrey, it's actually quite enjoyable. Carrey doesn't just provide huge comedy value with his hilarious slapstick antics as The Mask, he also plays the tepid Stanley Ipkiss delicately and with great restraint. His adorable sidekick Milo is a showstopper and really adds to the feelgood factor.
And has there ever been a more perfectly beautiful woman than Cameron Diaz in this movie? The teenage version of me that first watched this in the 90s would probably say no.
As long as you aren't expecting anything more than a screwball comedy with an over-the-top storyline and pantomime acting, I would highly recommend The Mask. It's goofy and flamboyant and Carrey is brilliant. It drags on a little too long and the bad guys get a bit tiresome but it's still a very entertaining watch.