The premise of this movie had so much potential, but falls flat on its face. It’s not so much the invention of lying, but at times throughout the film it’s the invention of abstract thought, empathy, and inner monologues. People in this alternate universe don’t just tell the truth all the time, they do so unprompted, just blurting out whatever they’re thinking. Which in and of itself is still a pretty funny concept. And once writer-director-star Ricky Gervais’ character Mark Bellison “invents” the lie, it seems like things could start to take off. Since anything everyone says is considered 100% accurate, Bellison has the opportunity to win the affection of his blind date Ann (Jennifer Garner), get his job back at Lecture Films and one-up head screenwriter Brad Kessler (Rob Lowe), and do basically whatever he wants.
But rather than mine that development for the ridiculousness that could come from it (think Bill Murray’s character in Groundhog Day), Gervais and co-director Matthew Robinson make the film too saccharine. Bellison is a likable loser and tries to do good by lying, preventing a neighbor from committing suicide, helping a homeless man, and comforting his dying mother. In doing that last act, however, Bellison becomes a prophet of sorts, having inadvertently created the concepts of heaven and God. All this attention though, doesn’t give him what he wants: Ann.
Other than the execution, the most disappointing thing for me was the way so many great actors had absolutely nothing to do when they made their cameos: Edward Norton, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Tina Fey, Jason Bateman, Jeffrey Tambor, John Hodgman, and Christopher Guest are all wasted. Shaun Williamson and Stephen Merchant are great to see together again in a very brief scene, but you’d really only appreciate it if you had watched Gervais’ series, Extras. In short, a tragic waste of cast and concept.
2/5
Brian's Film Log 