THE INVENTION OF LYING
CAROLINE: I’ve been very much looking forward to the new Ricky Gervais movie, “The Invention of Lying,” which co-stars Jennifer Garner and has loads of fun, unexpected cameos.
RYAN: I’m a fan of Ricky Gervais and his brand of humor. He’s wearing many hats in this movie; he co-directed and co-wrote it too. I thought it was a sweet, poignant film.
CAROLINE: We had been told to lower our expectations by some people in the know. They said it started strong but then turned crappy; but I totally disagree. I enjoyed the whole thing. But I guess I see what they meant, because the first half hour or so of the movie is pretty different from the rest. It starts out hilariously funny and then gets more thought provoking. The ads make it seem like a straight-up comedy, which it’s not.
RYAN: The ads weren’t as misleading as the ones for “Love Happens,” but this movie definitely turns a corner halfway through. At first I was uncomfortable with where it was going, but then I was like, “This is brilliant.” It becomes a real commentary on religion. It spoofs religion, basically.
CAROLINE: Ricky Gervais has made no secret of his atheism, and I’d read a while ago that the movie was about atheism. From the way it started, I wasn’t sure how it was going to get there; but it did. The premise is that no one in the world can tell a lie, and everyone speaks the blunt truth all the time. Though as you pointed out, there’s a difference between not lying and always telling the brutal truth to the point of offending people.
RYAN: Yes, and I didn’t feel like the movie made that distinction. I didn’t get why people had no filter and couldn’t keep anything to themselves. But whatever.
CAROLINE: It makes for a very funny first fifteen minutes, that’s for sure. One of the best scenes is when Ricky walks into what we would call a nursing home, but in this movie is called “A Sad Place for Hopeless Old People.” I guffawed.
RYAN: You did indeed. I loved seeing Tina Fey in the role of Ricky Gervais’s assistant, though she looked so Botoxed that I could barely pay attention to what she was saying.
CAROLINE: Don’t ruin any more of the cameos! This is a movie that’s sure to offend the religious right. It mocks Christianity and all that it stands for. I’m surprised we haven’t heard more of an outcry.
RYAN: I hope everyone can have a sense of humor about it.
CAROLINE: I’m not sure who the target audience for this movie is. It’ll definitely play better on the coasts, and I’m sure Ricky Gervais fans will enjoy it, but it’s controversial. It has roots in comedy but then becomes a whole statement about religion. I really liked it, but I don’t know how the average Joe will feel. It reminded me in some ways of Bill Maher’s “Religulous.”
RYAN: I loved that about this movie. But I must say something about Jennifer Garner’s overacting. Her posture and movement was almost like she was on stage and not in a film. It looked really unnatural. She might need a new acting coach.
CAROLINE: She’s so funny in the beginning, but she got kinda stiff later on. I feel like the director gave her a note that her character is really earnest and naive, and she took it a little too far. But I still love her. She will always be Sydney Bristow to me.
RYAN: Her character does evolve pretty well. And her opening line is one of the most memorable you’ll ever hear.
— BOTTOM LINE —
CAROLINE: I enjoyed this movie. It’s nice and short, it made me laugh out loud several times and the cast is awesome. I liked the ridiculousness of it.
RYAN: It’s a fun romantic comedy with a message you’ll either love or hate. Ricky Gervais is a great talent of our time, and it’s a sweet, cute movie. I recommend it.
— RATING —
