The Invention of Lying: Review

I think Ricky Gervais is hilarious. I am a huge sucker for awkward humour and Gervais is the king of this brand of comedy. Let me also go on record as saying that the British Office is much, much smarter than its more brash westernized version...and I still like that one. I'm glad that Hollywood is finally taking notice of his genius and giving him the opportunity to put his talent on the big screen. It's just too bad that his latest just isn't very good. While Ghost Town was a pretty great twist on the romantic comedy genre, Lying just feels like its trying too hard. Don't get me wrong, anything Gervais is involved with will be a cut above your average puff piece, but considering what he is capable of, I couldn't leave the theater anything but slightly disappointed.

The story itself sounds like the perfect premise for Gervais to do his thing. It centers around a world where lying doesn't exist and everyone says what they think all the time. (which honestly gets annoying about half way through the movie...just because people don't know how to lie, doesn't mean they would automatically tell people that they've always hated them etc.) This is the case until Gervais' character discovers the advantages of lying, especially lying to a world that will believe anything you say. This works well as Gervais lies his way to a fortune, and discovers religion by "lying" to his mother about the afterlife, but its when the movie turns its focus to angst laden romance that things get...ordinary. Garner is decent as the innocent, but straight talking love interest, but all this sapp takes the bite out of the original premise.

Still Gervais' style of self depricating humour does elevate this film from bad to decent. I'd really hate to see something like this handled by anyone else, but then again Gervais is capable of much more.

Rent It.