The Mask

The Mask is a 1994 American superhero comedy film directed by Chuck Russell and produced by Bob Engelman from a screenplay by Mike Werb and a story by Michael Fallon and Mark Verheiden. It is the first installment in the Mask franchise, based on the comics published by Dark Horse Comics. It stars Jim Carrey in the title role along with Peter Riegert, Peter Greene, Amy Yasbeck, Richard Jeni, and Cameron Diaz in her film debut. Carrey plays Stanley Ipkiss, an ordinary man who finds a magical wooden green mask that transforms him into the Mask, a green-faced troublemaker with the ability to animate and alter himself and his surroundings at will. Filming began on August 30, 1993, and concluded in October 1993. The film was released on July 29, 1994, by New Line Cinema, becoming a critical and commercial success. The film grossed over $351 million on an $18–23 million budget, which made it the most profitable film based on a comic up to that point. The film also influenced the resurgence of swing music in the 1990s. It cemented Carrey's reputation as a significant actor of the 1990s, and it established Diaz as a leading lady. Carrey was nominated for a Golden Globe for his role, and the film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects A sequel without Carrey, Son of the Mask., was released in 2005; it was a critical failure and box office bomb. Plot In Edge City, insecure bank clerk Stanley Ipkiss is frequently ridiculed by everyone except for his coworker and best friend, Charlie Schumaker. Meanwhile, gangster Dorian Tyrell, who runs the Coco Bongo nightclub, plots to overthrow his superior, Niko. One day, Tyrell sends his dazzling singer-girlfriend, Tina Carlyle, into the bank to record its layout for an upcoming robbery. Stanley is attracted to Tina, and she seemingly reciprocates.