The Invention of Lying (2009)
TOMATOMETER
AUDIENCE SCORE
Critic Consensus: It doesn't quite follow through on its promise, and relies too heavily on shopworn romantic comedy tropes, but The Invention of Lying is uncommonly sly and funny.
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Cast
as Mark Bellison
as Anna McDoogles
as Frank
as Greg
as Anthony
as Martha Bellison
as Brad Kessler
as Shelley
as Anna's Mother
as Blonde
as Landlord
as Wedding Overseer
as News Reporter
as Bob
as Waiter #1
as Doctor
as Nathan Goldfrappe
as Angelo Badsmith
as Jim the Bartender
as Cop
as Nurse #1
as Homeless Man
as Waiter at Fancy Restaurant
as Bank Teller
as Assistant
as Richard Bellison
as Man at the Door
as Short Fat Brian
as Son
as Arguing Girlfriend
as Arguing Boyfriend
as Person #1
as Person #2
as Person #3
as Person #4
as Yelling Man
as Young Man
as Man #1
as Man #2
as Man #3
as Man #4
as Man #5
as Man #6
as Man #7
as Man #8
as Receptionist
as Woman #1
as Woman #2
as Woman #3
as Woman #4
as Woman #5
as Woman #6
as Woman #7
as Elderly #1
as Elderly #2
as Elderly #3
as Woman in Business Suit
as Crying Man
as Cocktail Waitress
as Pit Man
as Roulette Dealer
as Waiter #2
as Chip Woman
as Shouting Man
as Tour Guide
as Nurse #2
as Hostess in LaBonisera
as Blue Collar Guy
as Terrorist #1
as Secretary
as Bully Kid
as Talking Head Woman
as Talking Head Woman
as Talking Head Man
News & Interviews for The Invention of Lying
Critic Reviews for The Invention of Lying
All Critics (184) | Top Critics (40) | Fresh (106) | Rotten (78) | DVD (9)
There are cycles of inspiration and rebirth, but the barbed promise of the early going loses its way in choices aimed at sentimentality rather than, as Harvey Kurtzman memorably put it, humor in a jugular vein.
It's bogged down in too many squishy romantic-comedy pieties.
I think the first half hour would be almost impossible to sustain because it is so inspired.
The last third of the movie is as bad as anything I've seen this year, with the laughs trailing off, and half of the supporting characters, the zestier ones, being airbrushed from the frame.
That a great comic idea does not necessarily make for a great screen comedy is the lesson for first-time writer-director-star Ricky Gervais as he comes unstuck.
Despite the ambitious scope of its premise, this confounding, disappointing and, in the end, depressing movie is content to devote 80 percent of its screen time to wondering who gets to kiss the girl.
Audience Reviews for The Invention of Lying
In a world where everyone tells the truth (even when unprovoked - a nit at which this and many other reviewers have picked), Mark Bellison discovers that he can lie and uses that superpower for good...for the most part. The love story arc of Anna figuring out what she wants in a mate is well-paced with a nice moment of her defending the chubby kid who got ice cream smashed in his face by the better-gened kids. Mark's weepy moment of describing a Kindergartener's conception of Heaven to his frightened, dying mother is lovely, but the rest of his Christian scripture is a bit slapstick, and I was disappointed that the movie didn't make more of a comment on spiritual solace, the truth and lies of religion, and Truth's partner: Consequences. Ricky Gervais does his cheeky hosting bit in the proselytizing scenes, but he actually gets rather endearing and emotional throughout the movie. I do love seeing PSH in oafish comedic roles, and I'm digging Louis C.K.'s Above Average Schmo schtick more and more. Jennifer Garner is also requisitely frosty and vapid, then tender and sweet. I especially dig Anna's deleted scene monologue of her appeal, which says so much about real-life Millennial women, female romantic leads in movies, and Anna's own character who just comes off as flatly bitchy at first: "In fact, there are very few things in life I care that much about. The only things I have to offer myself, or anyone else are my good looks and my affected sense of quirkiness which artistically inclined men interpret as intellect. I think my best trait is the fact that I've made very few mistakes. Socially, academically, financially, romantically. I take very few risks and therefore lead a relatively happy, light-hearted existence. Mostly though, I am a kind, sweet person with the potential of genuinely becoming a vital and interesting human being the day I take the energy I expend on hyper-self-reflexivity and apply it to actual action in the reality of my life."
Super Reviewer
Amusing if not exceptional comedy, Gervais has yet to make a movie that is anywhere near as enjoyable or original as one of his many TV shows.
Super Reviewer
Oh dear this looked ok from the trailer. Thought it would be a mix of Liar, Liar with Bruce Almighty. Unfortunately n where near as funny as those two. In fact for a comedy apart from the main plot running through the film, it tries to be a bit too serious for a comedy. As a result not that much to laugh at here. I expected a lot better and was let down.
Super Reviewer
The Invention of Lying Quotes
| Mark Bellison: | The world is going to end unless we have sex right now. |
| Greg: | If I could do anything? Anything at all? I would touch a girl's boobs. |
| Greg: | If I could do anything? Anything at all? I would touch a girl's boobs. |
| Bob: | Hi, I'm Bob I'm the spokesperson for the Coca-Cola company. I'm here today to ask you to continue buying coke. Sure it's a drink you've been drinking for years, and if you still enjoy it, I'd like to remind you to buy it again sometime soon. It's basically just brown sugar water, we haven't changed the ingredients much lately, so there's nothing new I can tell you about that. We changed the can around a little bit though. See, the colors here are different there, and we added a polar bear so the kids like us. Coke is very high in sugar and like any high calorie soda it can lead to obesity in children and adults who don't sustain a very healthy diet. So that's it, it's coke. It's very famous, everyone knows it. I'm Bob, I work for coke, and I'm asking you to not stop buying coke. That's all.It's a bit sweet. Thank you. Share this quote |
| Brad Kessler: | We both know that one day you're going to lose your looks. |
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