The Mask (1994)
12-month trend
12-month trend
Monthly article views
2025-09 to 2026-08
A timid bank teller's life changes when he discovers an enchanted mask that transforms him into a wild, green-faced trickster.
The story
In Edge City, Stanley Ipkiss is a timid and insecure bank teller who is frequently ridiculed by those around him. His life takes a turn when he discovers an ancient, enchanted mask. Upon putting it on, he is transformed into 'The Mask,' a green-faced, wisecracking trickster with the ability to cartoonishly alter himself and his surroundings. With this newfound power, Stanley finds himself navigating a world of high-stakes crime and personal desires, while attempting to win the heart of a beautiful woman, Tina Carlyle, who is caught in the middle of a dangerous plot involving a local crime boss.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Stanley Ipkiss, a timid bank teller in Edge City, finds an enchanted mask that transforms him into a green-faced, reality-warping trickster. While the mask grants him confidence and power, he must navigate a dangerous underworld where a gangster named Dorian Tyrell plans to overthrow his boss, Niko. Stanley becomes involved with Tyrell's girlfriend, Tina Carlyle, and eventually uses the mask's powers to foil Tyrell's robbery of a bank. However, the situation escalates when Tyrell also obtains the mask, becoming a malevolent being. After a series of confrontations involving the police and a reporter, the truth of the mask's power is revealed to be tied to Stanley's repressed desires. In a final showdown at the Coco Bongo nightclub, Stanley must face off against the villainous Tyrell. After a chaotic battle involving a literal dog wearing the mask, Stanley defeats Tyrell and saves the club. He is ultimately exonerated by the mayor and finds a sense of self-assurance, even as the mask's true nature remains a mystical mystery.
- First release year
- 1994
- Runtime (minutes)
- 101
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Chuck Russell
- Writers
- Mike Werb · screenplay; Michael Fallon · story; Mark Verheiden · story
- Cast and characters
- Jim Carrey · Stanley Ipkiss / The Mask; Peter Riegert · Lieutenant Mitch Kellaway; Peter Greene · Dorian Tyrell; Amy Yasbeck · Peggy Brandt; Richard Jeni · Charles "Charlie" Schumaker; Cameron Diaz · Tina Carlyle
- Genres
- superhero; slapstick comedy
- Themes
- identity; repressed desires
- Tone and mood
- slapstick; cartoonish
- Setting
- Edge City
- Premise and plot tags
- fantasy; comedy; superhero
- Source material / true-story basis
- 1991 comic book series by John Arcudi and Doug Mahnke
- Franchise connections
- The Mask
- Reception
- The film was a commercial success and received positive reviews from critics, noted for its blend of slapstick and high-energy performances.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 82% · scale: percentage · review count: 60; Metacritic · score: 59 · scale: 100 · review count: 12
- Awards and nominations
- Golden Globe Award · Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy · 52nd · nomination; Academy Award · Best Visual Effects · 67th · nomination; Saturn Award · Best Fantasy Film · nomination; Saturn Award · Best Costumes · nomination; Saturn Award · Best Make-up · nomination
- Production trivia
- The film contributed to the resurgence of swing music in the 1990s.; The character of Tina Carlyle was originally written as a 'good girl' who was 'actually bad'.; The dance sequence at Coco Bongo was inspired by the 1943 MGM animated short Red Hot Riding Hood.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
Your lists
Loading your lists…