Blu-Ray Review: ‘The Invention of Lying’ Has Killer Concept

Printer-friendly versionPrinter-friendly versionE-mail page to friendE-mail page to friendPDF versionPDF version
No votes yet

CHICAGO – There are so many concepts and clever ideas in “The Invention of Lying,” now available on Blu-ray and DVD, thanks to Ricky Gervais’ skills as a writer that his abilities as an actor and director don’t really know what to do with them. The script for this witty comedy is interesting enough to make it worth a rental but it sometimes moves at an awkward pace and never builds like it might have with a more experienced director.

HollywoodChicago.com Blu-Ray Rating: 3.0/5.0
Blu-Ray Rating: 3.0/5.0

Using narration, Gervais explains that the film you’re about to watch takes place in an alternate universe where man never evolved to the point where they learned how to lie. Immediately, there’s a bit of fast-and-loose with the rules of this universe. This is not really as much of a world without lying as one with straight-up honesty. There’s a difference. If we couldn’t lie, does that mean we’d ALWAYS say what we’re thinking? Is it lying to keep one’s feelings to oneself or have an ounce of privacy?

Invention of Lying available on Blu-ray™, DVD and Download 1/19
Invention of Lying available on Blu-ray™, DVD and Download 1/19
Photo credit: Warner Brothers Home Video

For example, Jennifer Garner’s Anna, on her first date with Ricky Gervais’ Mark, admits that she was masturbating before he came over and she needs to go upstairs to finish the job. I know, I’m being critical but it’s a minor annoyance that hinders the first act and part of the key to what holds the film back from its true potential.

Invention of Lying available on Blu-ray™, DVD and Download 1/19
Invention of Lying available on Blu-ray™, DVD and Download 1/19
Photo credit: Warner Brothers Home Video

One of the most clever elements of this universe is the truth in advertising peppered throughout - commercials for Coke merely ask buyers to keep doing what they’re doing because they’re already number one and nursing homes are more accurately called “A Sad Place Where Old People Go To Die”.

Mark becomes the first person on Earth to learn how to lie when he simply asks for $500 more than he knows his bank account holds. They give it to him because he must be right and the computer must be wrong. Things spiral from there. His role as a screenwriter naturally gets a lot more interesting (previous films were merely people reading true stories) and he takes it a step further when he tells a dying woman that there’s an afterlife. From there, “The Invention of Lying” becomes a potentially scathing and fascinating take on not just the funny side of lying but the importance of it as well. We all tell little (and sometimes not so little) lies to get through the day.

The all-star comedy cast along with a commentary on faith and the necessary gray area between truth and fiction makes it easier to forgive “The Invention of Lying” of many of its flaws. First, the exaggerated world of the first act lessens the true emotion of the second and third acts. I wish the “world without lying” felt more genuine so the honestly emotional twists and turns could register.

More importantly, the film never really develops a rhythm, as the love story at its core isn’t believable or interesting enough to drive the film toward a climax and it’s really all that’s left by the third act. And third, the whole thing feels a little toothless. If you’re going to tackle organized religion as a lie then come at it and don’t be distracted by the pretty girl with the killer smile. Although it’s important to note that I’d be lying if I said I often criticized comedies for having too many ideas.

Gervais and Garner are good, even if their chemistry never quite works, and the film is filled with all-star cameos including Jeffrey Tambor, Tina Fey, Ed Norton, Christopher Guest, Stephen Merchant, and a nearly movie-stealing one by Jason Bateman.

The Blu-ray release of “The Invention of Lying” includes additional scenes, outtakes, Ricky and Matt’s video podcasts, and three featurettes - “Prequel: The Dawn of Lying,” “A Truly Honest Making-Of Featurette,” and “Meet Karl Pilkington”. The lack of a commentary track for a title that clearly has a few elements worth talking about is disappointing but, overall, it’s a nice collection of bonus material.

‘The Invention of Lying’ is released by Warner Brothers Home Video and stars Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Garner, Jonah Hill, Louis C.K., Rob Lowe, and Tina Fey. It was written and directed by Ricky Gervais. It was released on Blu-ray and DVD on January 19th, 2010. It is rated PG-13.

HollywoodChicago.com content director Brian Tallerico

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

User Login

Free Giveaway Mailing

TV, DVD, BLU-RAY & THEATER REVIEWS

Advertisement



HollywoodChicago.com on Twitter

archive

HollywoodChicago.com Top Ten Discussions
tracker