The Mask

Timid bank clerk Stanley Ipkiss discovers a magical mask infused with the spirit of the Norse god Loki. Donning it transforms him into an unrestrained, green-faced, cartoon-like wild man. While the mask grants him the confidence to woo a local singer, it also makes him the target of a ruthless mobster.

Critics were broadly positive but not uniformly enthusiastic — the film's CGI spectacle and Jim Carrey's manic energy won most reviewers over, while the thin screenplay left others feeling the technique outpaced the story. Cameron Diaz, in her debut, was a consistent bright spot; Carrey's broader question was whether he worked best as a vehicle for chaos or as a character embedded in one.