How Inappropriate Is Jim Carrey's Comedy The Mask - A Parent's Guide

New Line Cinema's "The Mask" is a 1994 superhero flick that stars the one and only Jim Carrey. Given the comedian's other filmography from the era, such as "Earth Girls Are Easy" and "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective," it would be understandable for parents to approach this particular project with caution. But according to Common Sense Media, a site whose primary goal is to provide family-oriented reviews of popular media, that concern is mostly unwarranted. CSM summarizes "The Mask" as being "a bit crude, but fun and relatively harmless" and suitable for children ages 12 and up (parent reviews say 10 and up).

The MPAA labels "The Mask" as a PG-13 film. According to CSM, this rating is primarily for cartoon violence, raunchy humor, consistent profanity, and the visible consumption of alcohol. The website rates thematic mature content on a scale from one to five. For each of the four aforementioned categories, CSM rates "The Mask" a three out of five. The organization also notes that in the "Sex, Romance, & Nudity" category, "Cameron Diaz's cleavage is its own character." On the flip side, while CSM notes that "The Mask" lacks positive messaging, it features some positive role models. "Before discovering the mask, Stanley is a very kind but passive man who is easily taken advantage of," the outlet says. "The mask gives him confidence and power but ultimately teaches him lessons about his own self-worth."

Common Sense Media features reviews from both parents and children, with each separately aggregated on a scale of one to five. For "The Mask," the average CSM review score among both parents and children is four out of five. That being said, CSM itself rates the film lower. "'The Mask' is a perfect vehicle for [Jim Carrey's] abilities to play both a lovable loser and a manic menace," the outlet writes. "Industrial Light and Magic's special effects are integral to the success of this film. Without them, audiences would have to pay attention to the plot, which is uneven, predictable, and not worth the price of admission alone." CSM goes on to acknowledge that children will undoubtedly love "The Mask."

Ironically, CSM's score being lower than its user base is the reverse of what Rotten Tomatoes suggests for the wider population. In 2023, "The Mask" is certified fresh at 80% by critical reviews and enjoyed slightly less by audiences at 68%. The RT blurb summarizes "The Mask" by saying, "It misses perhaps as often as it hits, but Jim Carrey's manic bombast, Cameron Diaz's blowsy appeal, and the film's overall cartoony bombast keep 'The Mask' afloat." 

Despite CSM and RT featuring flipped audience and critical reviews, their scores are similar enough to support each other. New Line Cinema's "The Mask" is solid entertainment with middling risque content that promises a fun adventure without any lasting negative ramifications. "The Mask" is currently available to stream on Max.