Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (PG-13, 1994)

common sense media says

Skip it unless you love Carrey's gross-out humor.


parents & educators say
  • 43% say sexual content is an issue
  • 36% say language is an issue

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that, despite this comedy's seemingly innocent title, its bathroom humor and sexual content can be offensive. Dramatic kids might spend days imitating star Jim Carrey's wildly exaggerated mannerisms. Some teens may enjoy the so-called humor and insist on seeing it, but parents might want to watch with them.

Positive messages: The women in the movie serve little purpose beyond sex and cleavage. Lots of tasteless humor: gay jokes, jokes about people with mental illness, bathroom humor.
Violence: A fistfight between a man and a woman, with some blood. A man jumps off his penthouse balcony and is killed. People fall off cars and balconies and into shark-infested fish tanks. Several gunshots.. A shot of sharks with sharp teeth, a man jumps off a ba
Sex: Implied oral sex; bed-rattling sex hidden under covers. There's a lengthy shot of a man's bare bottom.
Language: Infrequent extreme language and occasional mild profanities. A rude finger gesture.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not applicable.

More on Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about the why this kind of "stupid humor" appeals to audiences. Why do different people find different things funny? How does this movie compare to Jim Carrey's other comedies? Families can also discuss the history of physical comedy. How does this movie's humor differ from that of the Three Stooges, and how is it similar?

What's the story?

What's the story?
When the Miami Dolphins' mascot is kidnapped one week before the Super Bowl, team assistant Melissa (Courteney Cox) brings in pet detective Ace Ventura (Jim Carrey) to solve the case. Sporting a loud shirt and roller coaster hairdo, the wacky detective immediately begins an investigation, eventually unearthing a mystery involving a vengeful football player who once played for the Dolphins. Ace must race the clock when he realizes that star player Dan Marino (as himself) is in danger.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
Without Carrey, this comedy would add up to a perfect zero. Ace revolves around Carrey's talent for contorting his face. On display, he mugs and writhes incessantly, shamelessly, for his audience. Director Tom Shadyac indulges his antics and butt-cheek ventriloquism, mindful not to put anything in the way--like a plot--that might distract from his prize performer. Unfortunately, the talents of Sean Young and Courteney Cox are squandered here. Parents might be misled by the seemingly innocent movie title, and should be aware that the bathroom humor and sexual content can be offensive. They should be further warned that dramatic kids might spend days imitating Carrey's wildly exaggerated mannerisms.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Warner Bros.
Director: Tom Shadyac
Cast: Courteney Cox, Jim Carrey, Sean Young
Genre: Comedy
Run time: 87 minutes
Theatrical release: February 4, 1994
DVD release: August 26, 1997
MPAA Rating: PG-13
MPAA explanation: off-color humor and some nudity.

This review was written by Common Sense Media Editors
 
 

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What parents & educators say

13
Based on 14 parent & educator reviews:
  • 43% say sexual content is an issue
  • 36% say language is an issue

Most useful reviews by all members

Lanmola
teen, 13 years old
 
For everybody who love Carrey!
This movie has that same hilarious nature as "The mask", "Bruce allmighty", "Liar liar" and the other comedies of Jim Carrey! It is, though, quite violent, and features both swearing and a short sex scene. Now blame me for being an European guy, but that sex scene wasn't too horrible! Still, in Europe most people don't care about such, while in America it seems as if it'd be the end of the world, so I don't expect you too agree. Also, the violence is nothing to deny. So I highly recomend it for those who like commedies, and hopefully also has a bit mature homor, as it contains a lot of it! (Sorry for my english)

davyborn
teen, 17 years old
 
Unfunny, vastly overrated comedy is nothing but stupid, soulless stand up acts in motion
I'm sorry. I' really, really am. It's just that, I honestly didn't find this movie to be funny, at all. I can take stupid pointless gross-out humor like this, but to me, everything in this movie just completely fell flat. And,it's not that I hate Jim Carrey, because I don't. In fact,I really like the guy and think that he is very funny in most of his movies, and I do understand fully that this was his first big break in the movie business and that this movie is well liked and has a large comedy fan base, and has even become something of a cult classic over the years. Anyway, though, I also found that the crude and sexual humor was very strong for a PG-13 Rated movie, including a oral sex joke, a very loud and comical sex scene, a prolonged shot of Carrey's bare buttocks, some comical violence involving animals, and some strong profanity. Overall, it just was funny for me. Sorry, all.

reveiwguy
teen, 13 years old
 
Funny- but not for young kids
I find it funny but there is a lot of adult humor and some violent scenes. A good movie for teenagers.

 
Crude, rude, gross and inappropriate.Ace Ventura shouldn't be viewed by children younger than 14 or 15. A friend recommended that I watch this movie and said 'I would love it!' Well, I didn't, I was sorely disappointed.

 
OK
This movie should be rated R. It has constant sex and mild profanity. There is also some violence in a suicide and shootings. It's also not that good of a movie.

uhya
teen, 13 years old
 
actually very funny, but disgusting

tangled
teen, 14 years old
 
Don't recommend
Gross with LOADS of sexual-um-humor? The part where Ace stripped a man disguised as a woman had to be the worst, and the plot was just overall CREEPY. I fell for the title thinking it was G rated so i watched it when I was about 7.

 
I watched this with my 10 year old son, and I should have turned it off. Instead we fast-forwarded through all the inappropriate scenes. I did not expect the explicit, sexually inappropriate humor in a PG-13 movie. Sorry, call me a prude, but even for teenagers it's just not appropriate. There is one scene where Jim Carrie and Courtney Cox are having rambunctious sex under the covers. There is no skin, but that does not matter (!), the scene is sooo explicit. There is also a scene where a woman asks Ace if she can reward him by pulling down his pants, and she does! I thought this movie should have been rated R.

100 % Movie
kid, 10 years old
 
Ace Ventura Rocks!!!!!!!!!
BEST MOVIE EVER FUNNY FUNNY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tasbronia
parent of and 3 , 5 , 7 , 9 year old
 
Disgusting...don't be fooled this is not a kids movie!!

 
this movie is so funny this movie is rated TV-PG-D-L-V

4stewarts
parent
 

movieman3
kid, 12 years old
 
Ace is very wierd.
Violence (white): Most comic violence. Sexual Content (red): Ace has sex with a countless number of girls and one man. Ace strips a man/woman. Language (white): Nothing bad. Drugs/Tobacco/Alchohol (yellow): Ace is a drunko. Sociel Behavior (white): Trust me, you don't want your kids acting like Ace. I tried that, room for a week.

kandykalli13
kid, 13 years old
 
Great.
OMG it is hilarious. this is the funniest thing i have ever seen!!!!! end is a little bit inappropiate but other than that it is drop dead funny.

whaleoh4060
teen, 14 years old
 
it wasn't that bad
I think the sexual stuff was around the average for a PG-13, though a little gross. The language isn't much of a worry though.

Hedgypus47
kid, 12 years old
 
Great for kids over 10 :)
This movie is hilarious! The humor is kind of ridiculous and you have to laugh at Jim Carrey's face! Little kids might repeat some of the bad stuff, though.

movieman4
kid, 12 years old
 
Violence (PG): A mild fistfight. Sexual Content (R): Ace sexes 2 woman in total, plus a man dressed up as a woman, with plenty of sexual humor after that, with a bare tiny butt being shown. Language (PG-13): Language heading around the R-mark, but no uses of the f-word. Consemurism (PG): The Miami Dolphins play a huge part in this film. Role Models (R): Don't want your kids being an Ace.

 
Funny Hahahah
I Liked this movie a whole lot! Idk why its gettin such bad reviews!! this is a classic Jim Carrey movie(and i Luvs him so maby that's y) with crude humor yes but still funny! I think they drop the f bomb a few times but but besides that i believe this is an all around FUNNY movie! A must watch for Carrey fans!

mrt123
teen, 16 years old
 
be carefull
You need to know that Jim Carrey does a lot of mature humor. This is an awesome ans halarious movie but it is not one for kids under 12. It has sex, nudity, and it makes fun of metaly challenged people. You should disscuss with your kids tha Jim does an over exaggerated imatation of mentally challenged people. but this is a good movie.

Christian Baughman
teen, 17 years old
 
A good family movie!!!!
What I think about the movie is. It was an other good Jim Carry movie. The movie did have some sexual stuff in it but not much as u think. The Language didn't have much in it. What it is it's a good family movie to watch together. to me I think Jim Carry is a good role models.

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