ROTTEN TOMATOES: Ewan McGregor to Star with Jim Carrey in I Love You Phillip Morris

Ewan McGregor to Star with Jim Carrey in I Love You Phillip Morris

Hot prison love!

by Jeff Giles | December 18, 2007

Over the course of his long film career, Jim Carrey has played characters who have had the hots for Cameron Diaz, Renee Zellweger, and Lauren Holly -- and now, you can add Ewan McGregor to that list.

Variety reports that McGregor has signed on as Carrey's romantic lead in I Love You Phillip Morris, a "dark comedy" that will act as the directorial debut for Bad Santa screenwriters Glen Ficarra and John Requa. The film, based on a true story (and a book by Steve McVicker), traces the plight of Texas convict Steven Russell, a married father who fell in love with his cellmate. From the article:

[Russell's] love for Morris motivated his escape from prisons four times, once by using a green pen and bucket of water to change his prison outfit into what appeared to be surgical scrubs, another time by faking his death from AIDS and signing his own death certificate. Morris eventually got out, but Russell's escapades got him a 144-year sentence.

Carrey and McGregor will start working on Phillip Morris in the spring, after Carrey finishes filming his multiple-role appearance in Robert Zemeckis' mo-cap update on A Christmas Carol.

Source: Variety

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(1-18 of 18 posts) | Reply

arendr writes:
on Dec 18 2007 07:36 AM

So you're saying this isn't a remake of Thank you for Smoking?

(Reply to this)

dahluzz writes:
on Dec 18 2007 07:37 AM

Smokeback Mountain? or does this not have to do with the tobacco company honcho? probly be more like 'let's go to prison' meets 'the holiday.' jude law shouldn't have to do too much acting to pull off the gay thing. hmm, at it's best this could be 'catch me if you can' meets 'the shawshank redemption.' either way, time for jim to get back to the funny. also high time robert zemeckis stopped ruing his career by 'innovating' with that motion capture stuff. c'mon bobby, give it a rest.

(Reply to this)

bethehero7404 writes:
on Dec 18 2007 08:48 AM

there will be smoking of some kind but I think it may be of the pole variety.

(Reply to this)

Racer Z writes:
on Dec 18 2007 08:53 AM

In reply to this comment (#1370476)
Umm... where in the article did it mention anything about Jude Law?

(Reply to this)

dahluzz writes:
on Dec 18 2007 09:04 AM

In reply to this comment (#1370706)
oh yeah ewan mcgregor. meh, pretty much the same.

(Reply to this)

bangoskank writes:
on Dec 18 2007 09:19 AM

Only completely different.

(Reply to this)

Gimy writes:
on Dec 18 2007 09:38 AM

racer z, they're foreign...and not big buff dudes, so ignorant americans assume its the same guy. one's scottish, one's british. both have played gay roles before though. in any case, mcgregor seems like an odd choice for this if its a comedy. i don't see him teaming up with jim carrey very well but, what'd i know...i would have NEVER guessed jeff daniels would team up with him to make the funniest movie ever made.

by the way slowheads, has nothing to do with cigarettes. phillip morris is just one of his cellmates he fell in love with. see, they use clever marketing like that to get naive people's attention. looks like it worked

(Reply to this)

Typhoon20 writes:
on Dec 18 2007 09:51 AM

So who's going to toss the salad ?

(Reply to this)

unbreakable_samurai writes:
on Dec 18 2007 10:14 AM

Sounds entertaining to me, I like the combo of Carrey and McGregor.

(Reply to this)

musiclc writes:
on Dec 18 2007 11:29 AM

No one wants to see a gay Jim Carrey movie. Not many want to see a gay prison movie period - "2 tickets for the gay prison movie at 7 please..."

(Reply to this)

MaxwellAction writes:
on Dec 18 2007 11:44 AM

"Morris eventually got out, but Russell's escapades got him a 144-year sentence." Wait, don't they mean escapeapades.

(Reply to this)

james919 writes:
on Dec 18 2007 01:27 PM

Musiclc is right! Who wants to see a gay prison movie? Yuck.

(Reply to this)

rt_hire_me writes:
on Dec 18 2007 02:09 PM

"I loved you like a brother!" I could see Chewey in a gay role, but not Obiwan.

(Reply to this)

South Texas Terror writes:
on Dec 18 2007 03:05 PM

What happened to Carrey? He carried so many movies on his back, has his star fell that much? Bad Santa wasn't that great so why let those fools direct this garbage.

(Reply to this)

123Dan123 writes:
on Dec 18 2007 04:46 PM

Wow what a lot of Carrey doubters. I can't wait until they get proved wrong, again.

(Reply to this)

ennui79 writes:
on Dec 18 2007 10:31 PM

I'll watch a gay prison movie! But I'm gay and in prison, so...

(Reply to this)

Rated_Xpert writes:
on Dec 19 2007 09:09 AM

Who wants to see that?... It sounds like CRAP. Who are they impressing? Worst of all WHY ARE THEY TRYING TO FORCE IT ON ME!!!!

(Reply to this)

mrshmelman writes:
on May 15 2008 07:20 PM

In reply to this comment (#1374460)
I'll force something on you... bend over! - Try thinking for yourself, I promise it doesn't hurt. I, for one commend any attempt to stretch social norms and look forward to seeing the movie.

(Reply to this)