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.

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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.

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25 "No, The Guy With The Rubber Glove Was Surprisingly Gentle."

Ace Ventura In Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

There are almost too many great quotes in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective to list them all. Thanks to the astounding performance of Jim Carrey, and the sharp screenplay he co-wrote alongside Jack Bernstein and director Tom Shadyac, almost every line that comes out of the titular Pet Detective's mouth is a quotable one. This becomes apparent incredibly early on in the first Ace Ventura movie, with one of the most hilarious lines from Ace coming when he first meets Melissa (Courteney Cox).

One of the key reasons (of many key reasons) that Ace Ventura is one of the funniest Jim Carrey characters is his penchant for borderline-sexual non sequiturs. When Melissa asks Ace if he had any problems getting into the building, Ace responds with "No, the guy with the rubber glove was surprisingly gentle." It make absolutely no sense whatsoever, but this makes it a laugh-out-loud moment that fully sets up the audience for the zany antics to come.

24 "You Don't Have To Tell Me. I Was There."

Ace Ventura In Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

The banter between Ace and Melissa is the source of many of the best Ace Ventura quotes in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, and one moment that captures one of the best aspects of the characters comes after the pair search Ronald Camp's apartment. Pleasantly surprised by Ventura's detective skills, Melissa decides to compliment Ace, letting him know she was impressed by his approach to gaining the information they needed despite the fact his methods were beyond unorthodox.

Rather than take the compliment humbly, Ace instead simply responds with "you don't have to tell me. I was there." It's the kind of arrogance that may be seen as abrasive in any other movie character, but from Ace Ventura it is surprisingly endearing. Throughout the movie, Ace is something of an underdog, with everyone assuming he's simply a bad detective. This quote, and other moments like it, make it easier to root for Ace Ventura, since he's under no illusions over the fact that he's the best man for the job when it comes to solving cases involving animals.

23 "Do You Have A Dorsal Fin? To Train Ze Dolphin You Must Zink Like Ze Dolphin!"

Ace Ventura In Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Jim Carrey is inarguably a master of comedy for many reasons. Not only does he have an impeccable sense of physicality, both with his body language and facial expressions, but he's also incredibly good at accents and comedic voices. This is prevalent throughout both Ace Ventura movies, as the character doesn't speak with Carrey's natural voice at any point. However, this particular talent of the star fully comes to the fore during Ace Ventura: Pet Detective when — for no discernible reason at all — Ace decides to pretend to be a German dolphin trainer named Heinz Getwellvet.

Do you have a dorsal fin? To train ze dolphin you must zink like ze dolphin! You must be getting inside ze dolphin's head. I am saying to Snowflake, "Akay!... Akay Akay Akay?" und he is saying "AKay Akay!" und he is up on ze tail "Eeeeeeeeee!" und you can quote him!

It's easily one of the funniest interactions in both Ace Ventura movies. From the moment Ace suddenly starts talking with an (incredibly bad) German accent and yells "How can I be getting zis vork done wit all de shouting? Control de shouting?", most viewers are close to tears from laughing so hard. It's a prime Ace Ventura quote when it comes to those which demonstrate why nobody but Jim Carrey could have pulled off the role.

22 "I'm Sure You Already Knew That. That's What Turns Me On About 'Cha, Your Attention To Detail."

Ace Ventura In Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Ace Ventura may not seem like the most likely detective, but it becomes apparent by the time Ace Ventura: Pet Detective concludes that he's incredibly good at his job. Specifically, beneath his zany antics and refusal to appear to take anything remotely seriously, he's an expert when it comes to wildlife. This becomes clear in the first movie when the chief of police, Lois Einhorn, mistakenly refers to the missing dolphin as a porpoise. Ace's response, as well as being an incredibly scathing put-down, shows just how intelligent the Pet Detective truly is:

Whew... now I feel better. 'Course, that might not do any good you see nobody's missing a porpoise. It's a dolphin that's been taken. The common harbor porpoise has an abrupt snout, pointed teeth and a triangular thoracic fin. While the bottlenose dolphin, or Tursiops truncates, has an elongated beak, round cone shaped teeth and a serrated dorsal appendage. But I'm sure you already knew that. That's what turns me on about 'cha, your attention to detail.

It's a memorable Ace Ventura quote for many reasons. Firstly, it's one of the moments that gets the audience truly rooting for and respecting the character. Ace isn't a bumbling buffoon in way over his head — he's an eccentric expert who constantly subverts the expectations of those around him. However, it's also incredibly funny, especially with Ace's sign-off of "that's what turns me on about 'cha, your attention to detail."

21 "I Have Exorcised The Demons... This House Is Clear."

Ace Ventura In Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Watching Ace Ventura in the 2020's is an interesting experience. While there are many ways that the Ace Ventura franchise hasn't aged well, it's also undeniably dripping in 90s nostalgia. A key reason for this, beyond the wardrobe and soundtrack, of course, is the many pop culture references Ace makes throughout the movies. Jim Carrey taps into a multitude of popular movies and TV shows which, while they're still known today, were regular talking points when both Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and its sequel were released.

One of the best of these pop culture nods came in Pet Detective when Ace, for seemingly no reason at all, decides to tap into Poltergeist and does an incredibly over-the-top impression of Tangina Barrons. After flailing around shortly after explaining various reasons why a murder couldn't have taken place in an apartment, Ace starts acting like Zelda Rubinstein's character from Poltergeist. He then stops abruptly and declares he has "exorcised the demons" to the two bemused police officers accompanying him.

20 "Yeah? And You're Ugly."

Ace Ventura In Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Before Courteney Cox ed the 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.

This quote is one of the Ace Ventura phrases that stems from the Pet Detective's razor-sharp playground wit. Carrey's ability to deliver lines with a mix of absurdity and sincerity makes even the simplest retort a highlight of his character's unpredictable personality. It's in these interactions that we see the genius of Ace Ventura's humor: it's not just about the jokes themselves, but how they contribute to the larger-than-life persona of Ace.

19 “Do Not Go In There!”

Ace Ventura 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 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, who 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. This scene exemplifies the brilliance of Jim Carrey's physical comedy intertwined with his character's brash humor, creating an unforgettable moment that fans love to quote. The humor isn't just in the words but in the entire setup and Carrey's exaggerated reactions, from sneaking into a place he clearly doesn't belong to facing an unexpected predator. It's a testament to Carrey's comedic genius that he can turn what could have been a throwaway gag into a standout scene.

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

Ace Ventura In Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Jim Carrey is a master impressionist, and the Ace Ventura role 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 James Bond actor. 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's 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.

The quote, infused with Carrey's impeccable timing and sharp wit, not only serves as a humorous moment but also highlights Ace Ventura's outsider status in the high-society settings he often finds himself in. Carrey's ability to seamlessly adopt the personas of iconic characters like Sean Connery's James Bond adds layers to the comedy, making the humor both a tribute and a parody.

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

Ace Ventura In Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Ace Ventura is often looked at as childish, and while it does rely heavily on crass humor and slapstick, it's also an entertaining take on detective movies. Ace is a sleuth whose powers of deduction are 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.

His request for a clean pair of shorts, delivered with a straight face amidst a tense situation, perfectly encapsulates the absurdity and unpredictability of his character. This quote showcases Ace Ventura's unique blend of humor and courage in the face of danger, a characteristic that defines much of the movie's appeal. Jim Carrey's performance, particularly his ability to maintain composure and humor under threat, elevates the scene from a simple comedic gag to a memorable and iconic moment.

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

It's hard to imagine other actors playing Ace Ventura; 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.

This particular quote brilliantly exemplifies Ace Ventura's irreverent and cheeky humor, perfectly aligned with Jim Carrey's comedic style. It underscores Ace's fearless attitude towards authority figures and situations that would typically demand a more serious demeanor. The scene is a testament to Ace Ventura's unyielding confidence and his ability to inject humor into even the most mundane or tense situations.