9 Milestones in the Evolution of Jim Carrey

Bruce Almighty (2003)

Five years later -- after starring in Ron Howard's adaptation of How the Grinch Stole Christmas and exploring Communism onscreen in the majestic failure The Majestic -- Carrey reunited with Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and Liar Liar director Tom Shadyac for this comedy about a down-on-his-luck reporter given God-like powers. The film, for which Carrey earned his first producer credit, grossed nearly $250 million domestically and reassured studio executives that the actor was still box office gold.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

The next year, Carrey returned to the dramatic side of his acting spectrum in this Michel Gondry/Charlie Kaufman masterpiece. As the emotionally withdrawn Joel Barish, the actor's exploration of nonlinear heartbreak opposite Kate Winslet earned him another Golden Globe nod. The film, which won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, is thought by many to be the best title in Carrey's filmography.

The Number 23 (2007)

Once upon a time, Jim Carrey dipped his toe into the suspense thriller genre... and it didn't work out so well. The actor reunited with Batman Forever director Joel Schumacher for this film about one man's obsession with the number 23. Coincidentally, The Number 23 earned just 8% on RottenTomatoes.com, which is the number you get if you divide the number 23 by 3 and round up.

I Love You Phillip Morris (2009)

After rebounding at the box office with the family-friendly Horton Hears a Who!, Carrey pushed popular movie boundaries with I Love You Phillip Morris. Carrey played real life con artist Steven Jay Russell who falls in love with fellow inmate Phillip Morris (Ewan McGregor) and escapes prison four times just to be with him. After facing some difficulty finding a distributor, Phillip Morris got a limited theater release in 2009 and was greeted with largely positive reviews.

Mr. Popper's Penguins (2011)

Having starred in nearly every kind of film -- from comedy to drama to experimental love story to gay love story to psychological thriller -- Carrey returns to his box office bread and butter: family films. In this weekend's Mr. Popper's Penguins, Carrey plays a cold real estate businessman whose heart thaws when he inherits a family of penguins. Will Carrey go the Eddie Murphy route and fall into a rut of family films, or will he resurrect some of his beloved characters going forward? Only time will tell.

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