Summary

  • Ace Ventura quotes showcase Jim Carrey's unique physicality and comedic talent, making the character and movies highly entertaining and rewatchable.
  • Courteney Cox's role as Ace's love interest in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective adds a great dynamic to the film, allowing Ace's immaturity to shine.
  • The Ace Ventura movies are a mix of silly humor and detective parody, with memorable quotes that highlight Carrey's comedic genius and ability to improvise.

Ace Ventura quotes prove the hilarious Pet Detective was a character only Jim Carrey could play. Carrey was still transitioning from a stand-up comedian to a movie star when he debuted as Ace Ventura, the role that would define his early success. 1994's Ace Venture: Pet Detective is a wild comedy starring Carrey as an eccentric sleuth who specializes in animal cases. The success of the movie led to Carrey's first-ever sequel, 1995’s Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls. The role proved to be the perfect vehicle for Carrey to show off his unique physicality while also delivering some hilarious and endlessly quotable dialogue.

There are still calls for Ace Ventura 3, but with Carrey reportedly retiring from acting, it seems as though audiences will have to be content with the two Carrey-led Ace Venture movies and the dozens of quotable moments throughout bother. Luckily, the Ace Ventura movies are very rewatchable comedies that feature endlessly quotable lines as Carrey showcases his fast wit, manic delivery, and total unpredictability as a performer — and the best Ace Ventura quotes are delivered by Carrey at his comedic peak, making them even more memorable.

20 "Yeah? And You're Ugly."

Ace Ventura in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Courtney-Cox-Ace-Ventura

Before Courteney Cox joined the cast of Friends or entered the Scream franchise, she showed up in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective as Melissa, Ace's love interest and the one who has the misfortune of putting up with his shenanigans for much of the case he is on. Cox plays a great straight partner to Jim Carrey's wacky antics, allowing Ace to be a truly immature hero. After one of his theories doesn't pan out, she suggests he is mad and doesn't know where to direct his anger leading him to offer this incredibly childish retort, one of the Ace Ventura quotes that stem from the Pet Detective's razor-sharp playground wit.

19 “Do Not Go In There!”

Ace Ventura in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Jim Carrey looking surprise in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

The Ace Ventura movies are never above immature "bathroom humor" but with Carrey's delivery, it elevates such moments beyond simple crassness. When searching for a missing dolphin, Carrey sneaks into a fancy party and then pretends to use the washroom, but instead investigates the hidden aquarium, leading to this hilarious Ace Ventura quote. Thinking he'll find the dolphin, Ace is surprised to face a shark instead that proceeds to viciously attack him. Emerging with tattered clothes and soaked from head to toe, Ace warns everyone to steer clear of that particular bathroom. The way Ace deals with the moment by drawing more attention to himself says a lot about him.

18 “Lovely Party. Pity I Wasn’t Invited.”

Ace Ventura in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Jim Carrey as Ace Ventura at the Cannibal Corpse concert

Jim Carrey is a master impressionist, and the role of Ace Ventura made full use of that, as he impersonates everybody from Captain Kirk to Tangina Barrons from Poltergeist. He also does a spot-on impression of Sean Connery, the first actor to play James Bond. This Ace Ventura quote is delivered by Carrey while doing his best Connery impression when he says, “Lovely party. Pity I wasn’t invited.” It is an example of how perfect Ace Ventura was as a character to introduce the world to the endless comedic talents of Jim Carrey, proving he could find an audience outside the comedy clubs with his wild act.

17 “Hi, I’m Looking For Ray Finkle... And A Clean Pair Of Shorts.”

Ace Ventura in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Jim Carrey looking concerned in Ace Ventura

Ace Ventura is often looked at as a silly and childish comedy, and while it does rely heavily on crass humor and slapstick comedy, it is also a very entertaining take on a detective movie. Ace is a sleuth whose powers of deduction and matched by his abilities to rub people the wrong way. It is a lot of fun seeing him deal with the casual dangers of the detective world, including looking for a potential suspect. When Ace goes to one house and asks for Ray Finkle he gets a shotgun pointed in his face, leading to this hilarious Ace Ventura quote. The way Carrey doesn't change his expression while requesting a new pair of shorts is one of his best moments in the movie.

16 "Is It Number One or Number Two? I Just Want To Know How Much Time I Have."

Ace Venture in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Jim Carrey and Sean Young getting close in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

It's hard to imagine other actors playing Ace Ventura as Jim Carrey's unique brand of humor works so well for the character. It makes Ace into a hero worth cheering for, especially with his underdog qualities. Ace is not popular with the real police detectives, and they aren't afraid to let him know it. However, he never backs down from them either such as when one of them tells Ace he better be gone by the time they're finished in the bathroom and Ace asks for a more specific timeframe.

Lois Einhorn: Ventura, when I get out of that bathroom, you better be gone.

Ace Ventura: Is it number one or number two? I just want to know how much time I have.

15 “Yes, Satan? Oh, I’m Sorry, Sir. You Sounded Like Someone Else.”

Ace Ventura in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Jim Carrey telling with his arms open in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

The thing that makes Ace Ventura such a great comedy character is that he treats everything like a joke. It drives the people around him mad, but makes him an entertaining protagonist. When Mr. Shickadance approaches Ace from behind and says, “Ventura,” without turning around, Ace says, “Yes, Satan?” It is these simple digs that make Ace superior to all those around him who look down on him. His ability to brush them off with a sly insult is admirable, and has made for some of the funniest Ace Ventura quotes across both movies.

14 “That’s None Of Your Damn Business And I’ll Thank You To Stay Out Of My Personal Affairs.”

Ace Ventura in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Ace Ventura with his arms open

In the first Ace Ventura movie, football star Dan Marino plays himself as a supporting character. Former Miami Dolphins quarterback Marino did a fine job of delivering his lines and made for a great comic foil for Ace. By the end of the movie, the two develop a fun rapport and in their final scene together they have a wonderfully bizarre exchange. Marino asks Ace if he has any more gum which Ace takes as a much more personal question than it seems. It is endearing that even in the presence of a star athlete like Marino, Ace is willing to be as weird as he wants.

Dan Marino: Hey Ace?

Ace Ventura: Yeah, Dan?

Dan Marino: You got anymore of that gum?

Ace Ventura: That's none of your damn business and I'll thank you to stay out of my personal affairs.

13 “If I’m Not Back In Five Minutes, Just Wait Longer”

Ace Ventura in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Jim Carrey in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls

This Ace Ventura quote is among the funniest as it's one of the moments that Ace Ventura: Pet Detective fully leans into the fact it's a detective movie parody. Ace delivers his own take on the cliché "If I'm not back in five minutes" line featured in many cop shows and sleuth movies when descending into the drained tank of a kidnapped dolphin to look for clues. Not a threatening situation for the Pet Detective by any stretch, which is what makes both the line and Carrey's deadpan delivery of it to a visibly bemused Melissa Robinson all the more memorable.

Related
20 Crazy Details Behind The Making Of The Ace Ventura Movies
It's a series that got pretty zany on the big screen, but nobody would have expected things to get even crazier behind the scenes of Ace Ventura.

12 "He's The One You Want, Kill Him!"

Ace Ventura in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Jim Carrey with various animals hanging off him in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

While critics might have hated the Ace Ventura movies, there is something very refreshing about a character who is so obnoxious yet can still manage to be an effective hero. However, unlike the heroes of action movies of the time, Ace's bravery only goes so far. When held at gunpoint alongside Dan Marino, Ace turns into a sobbing mess, begging for his life and even insisting Marino is the one they should kill resulting in a hilarious argument between Ace and Marino about who should be executed.

Ace Ventura: [begging] Don't kill me. Please! I'll never tell anyone, I swear. He's the one you want, kill him!

Dan Marino: No, no kill him.

Ace Ventura: No kill him. He held the ball, remember? Come on, look at the guy.

[Lt. Einhorne shoots into the air]

Dan Marino: Cry-baby.

Ace Ventura: Jock.

Dan Marino: Whimp.

Ace Ventura: Muscle-head.

Lois Einhorn: SHUT UP.

11 “Lew-Who, Za-Her!"

Ace Ventura in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Ace Ventura wearing sunglasses at a football stadium

Jim Carrey often takes a word that audiences have heard a million times before and says it in a new and unique way for laughs, such as his use of the word “loser” in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. He announces, “That was a close one, ladies and gentlemen. Of course, in every contest, there must be a loser. Lew-Who, Za-Her!” It is the way Carrey is able to put his own spin on a fairly forgettable line and suddenly makes it one of the most iconic lines of his career. Following the success of the movie this Ace Ventura quote became something of a pop culture fad in the 1990s, showing how effectively it reached the mainstream.

10 “Guano. Sounds So Familiar.”

Ace Ventura in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls

Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls

Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls is not a sequel that surpasses the original, but there are some standout comedic moments. Taking Ace out of America and transplanting him into the wildlife of Africa is also a fun way to challenge his true connection with the animals. As Ace licks what he thinks is “fruit paste” out the bottom of a piece of pottery in the jungle, Ouda tells him, “It’s made from guano.” Intrigued by this, Ace says, “Guano. Sounds so familiar.” And then Fulton Greenwall explains that guano is made from bat droppings. It is another simple gross-out gag that still gets a laugh from Carrey's over-the-top reaction.

9 “Be Careful With That Phone, Lieutenant. In Time, You Could Develop A Tumor.”

Ace Ventura in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Jim Carrey and Courteney Cox sitting in an office in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Many of the funniest Ace Ventura come when he's pressing suspects for information, Ace Ventura is a parody of characters from ‘80s action shows like Magnum P.I., and he takes his job as a Pet Detective surprisingly seriously. However, Ace is not quite as effective with his hard-boiled detective tough-talking. When confronting his crooked police lieutenant who was behind the whole scheme, she picks up her phone to call for backup while Ace offers this timely — and hilarious — warning.

8 "Yes, A Workaholic; The Urine Stain On Your Pants Would Signify That You’re A Single Shake Man, Far Too Busy For The Follow-up Jiggle."

Ace Ventura in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Jim Carrey sitting at a desk in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

While there are many versions of Sherlock Holmes and other famed detectives who can make stunning deductions based on small details, Ace Ventura perhaps doesn't get the credit he is due for such talents. Not only is he incredibly observant, but he also doesn't worry about the politeness some other detectives might be preoccupied with, and as this Ace Ventura quote shows his bluntness often reveals just how solid his powers of deduction are. He correctly surmises that Vincent Cadby is consumed with his work, pointing to the stains on the man's pants as a tell that he's too busy for personal hygiene norms.

7 “Pleasure To Meet You, Mr. Camp, And Congratulations On All Your Success. You Smell Terrific.”

Ace Ventura in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Jim Carrey and Courteney Cox walking into a party in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Undercover work is a skill any worthwhile detective has in their repertoire. However, Ace cannot help but act foolish even when sneaking into a fancy party. When Ace introduces himself to Ronald Camp, he adopts the undercover persona of a lawyer named Tom Ace. He shakes Camp’s hand and says, “Tom Ace. Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Camp, and congratulations on all your success. You smell terrific." Ace's inability to act like an adult for even a moment is hilarious while his open mocking of the wealthy party goers is another endearing aspect of the character.

6 “Excuse Me! I’d like To Ass You A Few Questions!”

Ace Ventura in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Jim Carrey talking from his butt in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Jim Carrey is a master of physical comedy, and the "I’d like to ass you a few questions" line in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective perfectly showcases his skills. Almost nowhere else does he display his penchant for the method as well as in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective — specifically when he turns around and pretends to talk out of his butt. It is a juvenile gag that worked so effectively that it alone may have cemented Carrey as a star after this movie was released. The pun thrown in just adds to it as a truly memorable cinematic moment.

5 “I Came To Confess. I Was The Second Gunman On The Grassy Knoll.”

Ace Ventura in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Jim Carrey in a tutu in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

There is a sequence in which Ace attempts to pass himself off as someone with psychological issues, donning a tutu and sporting a Wolverine-like hairdo. This Ace Ventura quote may be in poor taste, but it is also funny that it is hard to distinguish Ace's act from how he has behaved the rest of the time. His claim that he was involved in the JFK assassination is a dark joke in the movie. It is a reminder that Ace is a hilariously unhinged character, and it's impossible to predict what the next words from his mouth will be.

4 "Ace Ventura, Pet Detective, And You Must Be The Monopoly Guy."

Ace Ventura in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls

Who is the monopoly guy in Ace Ventura When Nature calls sequel

There is an ongoing theme in the Ace Ventura movies of Ace standing up to the rich and entitled. Certainly, they do serve as a fitting villain for him to go up against as their stuffy nature and dismissive attitude towards him only makes all the more entertaining. In Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, he once again finds himself at a fancy party at which he stands out considerably. However, he is never intimidated by such a crowd as he hilariously mocks one insulting little man with a monocle who holds a striking resemblance to the board game character.

3 “Of Course Not. This Is A Lovely Room Of Death.”

Ace Ventura in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls

Jim Carrey playing chess with Simon Callow in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls

Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls is a great animal movie for viewers who love comedies featuring furry creatures, especially as Ace himself is a defender and protector of all critters. Some of the funniest Ace Ventura quotes and moments in both movies come from his affinity for wildlife. One of the best of these Jim Carry Ace Ventura lines comes when Vincent Cadby invites Ace into his study which has its walls adorned with the heads of various animals taken as hunting trophies. Ace has a dramatic reaction to it but when Cadby tries to hold it over him, Ace brushes it all while also pointing out the twisted hobby.

2 “Re-he-he-eally?”

Ace Ventura in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls

Jim Carrey with an African tribe in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls

Similar to Jim Carrey's unique delivery that turned the word "loser" into a famous catchphrase, his hilariously extension of the word "really" has also lived on as an endlessly repeated Ace Ventura quote. Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls finds Ace living a simple life with monks when he is approached about a new high-paying case. Ace insists he no longer needs Earthly possessions. While it is clear where the joke is going, Ace's reaction to hearing he'd be paid $20,000 is wonderfully over-the-top as Carrey drags it out for the maximum comedic effect. It is also a great reminder that Ace is not an entirely notable hero after all.

1 “Alrighty Then!”

Ace Ventura in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Jim Carrey looking surprised in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

It is hard to say what will catch on as a comedy catchphrase that makes a real pop culture impact. However, all credit has to be given to Jim Carrey for how iconic his use of "Alrighty then" in the Ace Ventura movies has become. It is a sign that Carrey's comedic mind works differently than others as he was able to fully commit to this character and this over-the-top delivery, knowing the audience would react to it. It is that confidence and comedic skill that helped make Ace Ventura so iconic when no other actor could have pulled it off the same.

ace ventura
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
PG-13
Comedy
Mystery

Release Date
February 4, 1994
Director
Tom Shadyac
Cast
Jim Carrey , Courteney Cox , Sean Young , Tone Loc , Dan Marino , Noble Willingham
Writers
Jack Bernstein , Tom Shadyac , Jim Carrey
Studio(s)
Warner Bros. Pictures