For Parents For Educators For Advocates

Find movies, books, and more ... ! Sign in Join Donate

Movies & TV Books Apps & Games Parents Need to Know Latino Research About Us Distance Learning

Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Movie review by Common Sense Media Editors, Common Sense Media

Common Sense says

Parents say Kids say
OCage 14+ ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆ F age 13+ age 12+
Dumb '90s comedy full of gross-out humor, profanity, ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆ ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆
Based on 35 reviews Based on 63 reviews
sex.

PG-13 1994 87 minutes

Get it now

! Save @ Rate movie Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase

helps us remain independent and ad-free.

1 of 4 2 of 4

Official trailer

Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

A LOT OR A LITTLE?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie. OUR EDITORS RECOMMEND
Wayne's World Dumb and Dumber
m not present r not present v 3 3 3 3 3 Lowbrow '90s The caviar of low-
a

a
a

Positive Messages Positive Role Models & Violence

Representations comedy has raunchy brow, gross-out
humor, profanity. comedy.

s 3 3 3 3 3 l 3 3 3 3 3 c 3 3 3 3 3 OCage 13+ OCage 13+

a

a
a

Sex Language Consumerism

d 3 3 3 3 3
a

Drinking, Drugs & FOR KIDS WHO LOVE TO LAUGH

Smoking
Best Family Comedy Movies
Parents and caregivers: Set limits for violence and more with Plus See all recommended movie lists

WHAT PARENTS NEED TO KNOW THEMES & TOPICS

Browse titles with similar subject matter.
Parents need to know that Ace Ventura: Pet Detective is a 1994 movie in which Jim
Carrey plays a strange and obnoxious detective who specializes in cases involving
animals. While much of the humor was not that great to begin with, decades later,
this movie has not gotten better with age, especially the jokes at the expense of
homosexuals and the mentally ill. There is frequent strong sexual innuendo, Cats, Dogs, and Horses and Farm Mis
including a sex scene in which Ace and a woman make
Ocean theCreatures
bed shake and Wild
bounce
Animals Mice Animals Und
See all See all See all See all See

Wondering if Ace Ventura: Pet Detective is OK for your kids?

Parents: When you subscribe to Common Sense Media Plus, you can set
TOP ADVICE AND ARTICLES
preferences and get age-appropriate recommendations for your kids. Subscribe
now 5 Tips to Make Family Movie Night a
Success
Continue reading a
TV and Movies That Celebrate Grit

USER REVIEWS Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are

created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced
PARENTS SAY KIDS SAY by the product's creators or by any of our
funders, affiliates, or partners.

Adult age 14+ Report this review

⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆ See how we rate
Written by carolbee1@comca...
September 10, 2010 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 Streaming options powered by JustWatch
did not expect the... Continue reading

Adult age 15+ ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆ Report this review

Written by green_goblin
November 7, 2008 So funny
I don't think it's OK for kids at all.

Add your rating See all 35 parent reviews.

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?

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

Continue reading a

TALK TO YOUR KIDS ABOUT ...

Families can talk about 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?

How are the mentally ill shown in this movie? Do you think it's inappropriate
to find humor in exaggerated portrayals of mental illness, or do you think

Continue reading a

MOVIE DETAILS

In theaters: February 4, 1994

On DVD or streaming: August 26, 1997
Cast: Courteney Cox, Jim Carrey, Sean Young
Director: Tom Shadyac
Studio: Warner Bros.
Genre: Comedy

Continue reading a

Learn More Our Work Get Involved Follow Common

Sense Media
About Us Common Sense Media Donate
Facebook
Common Sense is the nation's Our Impact Common Sense Education Join as a Parent
leading nonprofit organization Twitter
Meet Our Team Common Sense Kids Action Join as an Educator
dedicated to improving the
Board of Directors Digital Citizenship Program Join as an Advocate
lives of all kids and families by Instagram

providing the trustworthy Board of Advisors Latino Program Enact Your CCPA Rights
YouTube
information, education, and Our Partners Privacy Program Get Ready to Vote
independent voice they need Our Offices Research Program Careers LinkedIn
to thrive in the 21st century.
Attend an Event Wide Open School

We're a nonprofit. Support Press Room

our work Annual Report

Contact Us

Search Common Sense Media Subscribe to our newsletters

Find movies, books, and more ... o Add your email to get started. I'm in

Help center / Privacy / Cookie settings / Terms of use / Community guidelines

© Common Sense Media. All rights reserved. Common Sense and other associated names and logos are trademarks of Common Sense Media, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (FEIN: 41-
2024986).

SHARE f T 1 ] !