Imagine a universe where people are incapable of lying, where even the idea of a lie is completely foreign. This is the world depicted in Ricky Gervais and Matthew Robinson’s new film The Invention of Lying, which takes place in an alternate reality where people have never discovered this ability. Everything is different in a society without polite pleasantries, where people say whatever is on their minds without regard for the feelings of others.
Truth is so prominent in this alternate reality that even advertisers and filmmakers can’t embellish ideas: the movie’s slogan for Pepsi is “When Coke’s not available”, and film are only documentaries on historic events, never fictional.
Co-written by and starring Gervais, the comedic genius behind sitcom gold The Office (UK) and Extras, Lying has all the tools necessary to produce a first-rate comedy: an original premise, a talented cast and whip-smart dialogue. Gervais plays his usual snarky, melancholic character, but doesn’t disappoint with the attitude we’ve come to know and love.
Gervais plays Mark Bellison, a down-on-his-luck screenwriter who languishes in mediocrity at a low-level job. Mark quickly gets fired, eliciting tons of sympathy, but it’s hard not to smile when his secretary (a delicious cameo by Tina Fey) states, “I loathed almost every minute that I worked for you.”
After getting sacked, Mark is left with no way to pay his rent and support his ailing mother in her retirement home (in the film, known as a sad place for lonely old people). While at the bank trying to take out money he doesn’t have, Mark accidentally tells the first lie in history. After discovering his unique ability to say anything and have people believe him, he uses his newfound skill for personal gain. Clearly, hijinks ensue.
The first half hour of the film delights with sardonic wit, especially from the squeamish awkwardness that arises when white lies are replaced by brutal honesty. Unfortunately, the premise quickly falls flat. After a particularly touching scene with Mark’s mother, which shows off a more dramatic Gervais than audiences are used to, things start to go downhill. The film introduces religious quandaries that reduce the plot to that a convoluted combination of comedy and self-help guide. There are even cringe-inducing elements worthy of an after-school special on the virtues of seeing someone’s inner beauty.
The film bursts with comedic cameos from the likes of Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jason Bateman, and a hilarious Edward Norton, who together operate as a smokescreen to deflect from the flat story. The adorable Jennifer Garner is also a wonderful surprise in a mediocre film, showing off impeccable comedic timing. Her deadpan is straight-on, especially when she states that she would masturbate before her date with Mark because she was so disappointed by him. I had anticipated that her hilarious performance might save her from falling into formulaic rom-com oblivion (see Ghosts of Girlfriends Past) but the last hour of this charmless love story proved me wrong.
Though it managed to squeeze out a few chuckles from the audience, I was left wondering why all the film’s best bits were revealed in the trailer. The Invention of Lying works too hard to force a romantic subplot that clearly doesn’t work, and the religious theme drags the movie on with questions neither funny nor engaging. Overall, this film was sub-par. Save your 12 bucks, and rent a season of The Office to see Gervais at his best.
Rating: VV
