"The Invention of Lying" Review by Spaldy

Starring: Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Garner, Louis C.K., Rob Lowe, Tina Fey, Jonah Hill

Written & Directed by: Ricky Gervais & Matthew Robinson

I come from a long line of people who use self deprecation as readily as they use oxygen. But I must admit, I think there comes a time when you can overdose on self deprecation. I think Ricky Gervais may have hit that saturation point with “The Invention of Lying.”

The premise is that humans never had the gene for lying in their genetic code. One day, the extremely unhappy and unlucky Mark Bellison (Ricky Gervais) discovers that he can lie. Though not exactly sure how he can say things that “are not,” it is not long before Mark takes advantage of his genetic mutation. In this world, everyone is brutally honest because they have to be. What is not so clear, is why everyone is so vocal. Would humans never evolve the need to spare someone’s feelings by censoring what they say? Would everything come out word vomit and one never experience the ability to hold back? It is debatable.

Still the world does not hold back for Mark, and he repeatedly must suffer the brutal honesty of strangers, friends, and co-workers. Stranger still, people rarely laugh or make jokes in this world. Clearly sarcasm is right out the window in this reality, but what about puns? Or even knock knock jokes? Even if you are beat down every day, there must be something that makes you laugh. Though that may be the case, one never sees it in this bleak and bleary world on the screen.

For that reason, I don’t really think of this movie as a comedy so much as a somber cautionary tale. There are moments of hilarity for the viewer, but for me, there were far more moments of “that’s not right!” Gervais has brought me so much joy over the years both with his characters and because he possesses the most gloriously infectious laugh of all time. So for me to hear people speak so ill of him in this movie (even if he did write the lines), rankles my protective side. I know people can be cruel but the folks in this movie are heartless.

Still the premise is an interesting one and I can appreciate the inventive poke at organized religion. Gervais is just as likeable as always, and more emotional in this role than any I have seen previously. The rest of the cast is a who’s who list of fantastic comedians and award winning actors. Each cameo brings a fresh smile to your face, even if what they are saying is pretty painful. Though the lines may be hard to hear, the delivery of them by the great cast ultimately makes the movie work.

The real message of this film is to see what is beneath the surface of the people you meet and to understand that somewhere between total lies and outright brutal honesty is a happy medium. Though vaguely after schoolish, it is still a nice message. If you can struggle through the discomfort, this movie is worth it. Although it isn’t Gervais’ best work, it still ranks well above most of the “comedies” I have seen this year.