Steven Russell: I love you, Phillip Morris! I love you! "Based On A True Story... No, Really It Is"The story of Steven Russell and the man he loves, Phillip Morris, is one crazy fucking story. The film portrays it no differently. Sure it goes a little to the extreme with some of the homosexual content, and that surely
will make hard core Republicans squirm in their chairs. But the movie is truly funny, and one of Jim Carrey's better films and performances in the last several years. He plays Steven Russell, a character of many aspects. At the beginning of the movie, he is married with a daughter and is a Texas police officer. He knows he is gay, but is just in the closet about it. Then he tells his wife, and starts his new life as a gay man, which as he describes is really expensive. So he starts running scams and becomes a conman. Soon he finds himself in prison where he meets the love of his life, and the story just gets wackier from there. I Love You Phillip Morris has moments where it really isn't anything special, but for most of the runtime it is entertaining. Carey and McGregor are both really good and really convincing as gay men, especially McGregor. The movie isn't really laugh out loud funny all the time, but it has moments that are really funny and many other instances where it is funny, but not in a way that will make you laugh out loud. A lot of the humor I found funny kind of embarrassed me. I still find all this gay humor hilarious and this movie doesn't skimp on it. There's a lot of sexual acts humor and a fair amount of dick related jokes as well. This movie isn't going to win any subtlety contests, but for a story like this; the movie really did need to be over the top like this, because the real man is way over the top. Surely this won't be for everyone, but if you won't be offended by the material, which I don't see why anyone should in today's world; give it a watch. If you're a Jim Carey fan, this is a welcome sight. It's something we need from him when he brings out movies like Mr. Poppers Penguins. It isn't going to touch some of his works that made him a star, but it is heads and heels above what he has been doing for the last 10 years. Well, except for Eternal Sunshine for the Spotless Mind.
April 5, 2011
62%
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97%
Top Critic
