Movies such as Ace Ventura -- Pet Detective have the problem of trying to be really funny with the hindrance of a dumb plot. For instance, Airplane was dumb but hysterical at the same time. On the other hand, Loaded Weapon was just plain dumb.

But thanks to Jim Carrey, of "In Living Color" fame, Ace Ventura is hilariously . . . goofy.

Carrey plays Ace Ventura, a private detective who specializes in solving cases that involve, well, pets. With a concept like that, a movie can only work if the lead actor brings all his humor and talent to the screen.

As Ventura, Carrey doesn't disappoint. His performance is frantic, infectious, actually. He looks like he had a ball making this movie, so the audience enjoys itself as well. After years of playing Fire Marshal Bill and other characters on "In Living Color," Carrey has mastered the art of making people laugh.

And his lines are classic. Just before entering a danger situation, he deadpans, "If I'm not back in five minutes . . . just wait longer." When a bald, stuffy, waiter-type greets him at a party, he grins and exclaims "Hi, Captain Steubing!"

At times, it seems the writers just gave Carrey a basic plot outline and told him to go wild. And he delivers, ad-libbing hysterically while doing dead-on impressions of half of the Star Trek crew and generally mocking everybody he meets.

The music in this movie is utilized perfectly. When Ventura sneaks around a ritzy mansion, the "Mission: Impossible" theme blares. An inevitable sex scene is heralded by "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." And just before Ace discovers that the female villain is really a man, strains of "The Crying Game" are heard.

The supporting cast includes Sean Young, Tone Loc, Dan Marino and Courteney Cox, who most notably played Michael J. Fox's love interest on "Family Ties." In Ace Ventura she plays Carrey's love interest -- not much of a stretch.

Young is funny as an insane police chief, but hams it up a bit too much. Loc does a great invisible-man impression, since he almost totally disappears after his first scene. Marino is a laughably bad actor, but he is not above mocking himself, as the film shows exactly how he makes those nifty Isotoner glove commercials.

But this is Carrey's show, and he makes the most of it. His devil-may-care attitude is unflinching. When Cox tells him he is immature and can't face defeat, he retorts, "Yeah? And you're ugly!"

His self-awareness of his situation is great. Ace knows he has a goofy job, a wacky haircut and a love of animals that runs deep. So deep, in fact, that when asked if he sleeps with his animals, he responds, "If it gets cold enough."

A few jokes are clunkers, but that's a sign of all good comedies. The good jokes and sight gags far outweigh the poor ones. And Carrey gets to play the type of guy men want to be. He has got a great job, he gets the girl, he has no real responsibility and a wicked sense of humor. Carrey plays the role he was born for, and in that, he lights up the screen.