**Disclosures: My husband and I purchased our own tickets to see this movie. The purchase earned reward points for a free movie admission on a future date, through my husband’s free membership in the Regal Cinemas Crown Club.**
2009, comedy (rated PG-13)
If you’ve ever thought that the world would be a better place if people were just more honest with each other, The Invention of Lying might make you reconsider that notion. It illustrates the concept of “the truth hurts” very cleverly, and is extremely funny in the bargain.
The Invention of Lying takes place in a world that looks very much like our own, except that people have never developed the ability to be dishonest. There’s no deceit, no false statements, and nothing is ever made up – there’s no fiction. There’s no reason ever to doubt what anyone says, because no one’s ever said anything that “wasn’t” – not “wasn’t true,” but just “wasn’t,” period, since there’s no concept of “true” or “false.” Everyone is as literal as your average small child, because they don’t know how to be anything else.
Mark Bellison (Ricky Gervais, who also wrote the movie) is an unsuccessful screenwriter on the verge of being fired from his job at Lecture Films, which is exactly what it sounds like; in a world with no fiction, movies are made of people reading from history books. Since Mark’s expertise is the 13th century, he’s been limited to screenplays about the Black Plague, which are understandably not very popular. He’s also trying to get a second date with Anna (Jennifer Garner), a pretty and financially successful executive whom both she and Mark frankly acknowledge is “out of his league.” Everything is frankly acknowledged in this world.
But after he gets fired, Mark gets an impulse – one he can’t explain – to say something that “isn’t.” When it’s accepted without question – why would anyone question it, when no one’s ever said anything that wasn’t true? – he’s stunned by the response he gets, and decides to test this “isn’t” thing out some more. He goes further than anticipated, though, when his attempts to soothe his frightened mother on her deathbed are overheard by hospital staff, and news gets out that Mark knows what happens after we die. After all, how could he have told her mother that she would go to live for eternity in a mansion in a beautiful, happy place if he didn’t actually know it? When people clamor to hear more, Mark’s forced to invent more than just lying; he essentially invents religion, too. (I’m not planning to discuss how the movie may be connecting the two, but I think it’s a potentially fascinating conversation – or very ugly argument.)
Ricky Gervais is co-creator of The Office, and if you’re a fan of that show’s sharp yet frequently cringe-inducing humor – which I absolutely am – you’ll find a lot to enjoy here. People answer the question “How are you?” by actually telling you, no matter how depressing it is. People are forthright about finding you unattractive. The elderly go to the “Sad Place for Hopeless Old People.” People tell you how they really feel about you when you lose your job:
“I’ve always hated you.”
“Did you come over here just to tell me that?”
“No, I actually came over to wish you luck. That just slipped out.”
It’s all much less mean-spirited than it sounds, though…it’s just that no one knows any differently. It’s a world that’s perfectly literal, and one with no filters. It makes you think about the fact that while many of our social conventions may be less than completely truthful, they do spare feelings, and sometimes that’s more important. They make it more comfortable for us to live with each other. It’s interesting to realize that civility isn’t necessarily less truthful, and it can make use of certain things we prize about being human – imagination, creativity, and empathy, for example.
The Invention of Lying is one of the smartest and funniest movies I’ve seen this year, and a surprisingly sweet one, too. I’m not lying.
What Entertainment Weekly said about this movie (Grade: B+)
My favorite movie-going book blogger, Literary Feline, reviews the movie
My favorite movie-going book blogger, Literary Feline, reviews the movie
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Yay! I have been excited for this movie since I saw a preview, but hadn't read any reviews yet so I wasn't sure if it was as good as it looked. I love the awkward humor of The Office too (the American version a bit better than the British version, but that's another discussion 🙂 )
Kim
Kim – Well, now you get three reviews for the price of one, if you check out the links :-). Go and see the movie!
BTW, I've never watched the (original) British version of The Office, but I think the American one stands on its own now. Every time I watch it, I'm so grateful not to work at Dunder Mifflin!
This sounds like so much fun! I'll have to see if I can get a friend to go see it with me.
Well, you've just shifted my view of this movie, which got quite a mean review locally.
So I love you for that.
But I will not be rooting for the Dodgers.
🙂
We'll probably end up renting it, but it looks funny. I'm glad to hear you liked it, I didn't want the previews to be better than the movie. I hate that. 🙂
Now I want to see this. It sounds like just the antidote to reading fifty undergrad papers about how Othello "should have trusted" Desdemona and "been honest" with her about his feelings n' stuff.
Kathy (Bermudaonion) – It's kind of twisted, but we really enjoyed it.
Beth – I can see why it might not be everyone's cup of tea, and I doubt it's going to make a ton of money, but I'm glad to have given you an alternate opinion on the movie :-).
The Dodgers will probably find a way to screw up this NLCS thing anyway. If they do, I'll be rooting for the Phillies in the Series!
Mike – I think we'll buy this one on DVD when it comes out. And it's NOT a movie where all the good stuff was in the previews. I think y'all will like it.
Jeanne – If Othello and Desdemona had been able to communicate, there would have been no play! Seriously, I did appreciate the way this movie made me think about truth and fiction.
Wonderful review, Florinda! Someday I'll get the hang of movie reviewing. I don't know why I can't just treat them like books . . .
I got such a kick out of the stories he invented–like the new take on the Black Plague. It was definitely quite imaginative. I guess if you're going to fudge the truth, you might as well go whole hog. 🙂
Wendy (Literary Feline) – I'm so glad you liked the movie…and the review. I do find movie reviews harder to write than book reviews most of the time, but this particular movie gave me a lot to work with 🙂 – it was very creative!
First on your review, both my wife and I are looking forward to seeing this one when it comes out on DVD.
Second, and more importantly, on the Dodgers ;): I'm pulling for them, but not because I really want them to win the whole shebang. I just want to see Torres face off against the Yankees, and see him get beat!
First on your review, both my wife and I are looking forward to seeing this one when it comes out on DVD.
Second, and more importantly, on the Dodgers ;): I'm pulling for them, but not because I really want them to win the whole shebang. I just want to see Torres face off against the Yankees, and see him get beat!
Bryan (Unfinishedperson) – I'm pretty sure we'll be adding this one to our home DVD library when it comes out.
I should tell you I was raised on the Yankees, but I defected to the National League years ago :-). My dad still lives in Yankee pinstripes, though. But you know they have to beat the Angels first, right :-D? (And a lot of folks out here are hoping for that Freeway Series…)