- The Invention of Lying
- OPENING: 10/02/2009
- STUDIO: Warner Bros.
- RUN TIME: 100 min
- ACCOMPLICES:
Trailer, Official Site
The Charge
In a world where everyone can only tell the truth… this guy can lie.
Opening Statement
It’s a fun week to go to the movies, as there are no less than three worthwhile, smile-inducing films to take a look at. I started this triple-header with The Invention of Lying, the latest project from comedic genius Ricky Gervais. The premise initially seems like an inverted take on Liar Liar, presenting a version of the modern world in which no one ever tells a lie.
The Case
This situation is not particularly fun for someone like Mark Bellison (Gervais), a pudgy working man constantly belittled by those more powerful and attractive than he is. While Mark is on a date with the lovely Anna McDoogles (Jennifer Garner), he is informed of his inferior genetics and stands pretty much no chance with her. Living in a world in which everyone compulsively sees things as either "so" or "not so," means there is no room for messy, complex things like feelings to get in the way of humanity’s relentless participation in natural selection. Mates are chosen purely for their biological value, not for something as flimsy as feeling they’ve found a soul mate. However, in a moment of desperation, Mark finds a way out of the system. He learns to lie, and immediately begins to use this newfound knowledge to his advantage. He can convince anyone of anything, simply by telling them it is so.
The Invention of Lying indulges in the predictable gags you would expect, but quickly veers into considerably more thoughtful and challenging territory. The most striking sequence begins with Mark discovering that his mother only has moments left to live. She cries on her death bed, moaning that she can’t bear the thought of spending eternity in an empty state of nothingness. Desperate to make his mother happy, Mark invents a story about a glorious afterlife in which everyone gets to be with their loved ones and live in a mansion for all of eternity. The word of this marvelous afterlife begins to spread, and in no time Mark finds himself serving as the all-knowing authority on a religion that he’s making up as he goes along. It’s bold stuff for a mainstream comedy, and the film digs into similarly thought-provoking areas in its own genial manner throughout the proceedings. Gervais humorously and smartly explores just how dramatically lies have impacted our society, and how dependent on them we are for so much of what makes us human.
Though the story structure is fairly conventional comedy, the guts of the film are exceptionally funny and substantial. Gervais does a predictably solid job both as star and co-director, and his screenplay provides a generous supply of fun supporting roles for a host of talented folks (Tina Fey, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Edward Norton, John Hodgman, Louis C.K., Jason Bateman). Special mention goes to Jennifer Garner, whose supporting turn as Mark’s perpetually-surprised love interest is a terrific demonstration of comic timing that should not be overlooked. I might have preferred a film with just a bit more merciless bite, but then it wouldn’t have been a mainstream release. I’m reminded of what John Lennon said after his pro-socialism, anti-religion song "Imagine" became a massive hit: "Put your message across with a little honey."
The Verdict
9/10
Verdict on Twitter