Ricky Gervais leads a sprawling ensemble cast in a high-concept comedy about truth.
We couldn't find an image of the actual poster. Honestly.
Imagine a world where no one ever lies and where everyone is always completely candid and trusting, until one man learns to use the power of bullshitting for his own gain. That’s the setup for Ricky Gervais’ (Ghost Town) September-released farce, which looks to be the kind of sprawling, high-concept piece that Woody Allen could have made in the 1970s and Garry Shandling might have tried a decade ago. Though Gervais (who also co-directs and co-wrote the script with Matthew Robinson) is probably capable of making more of the premise than most other actors, he’s got great backup in a huge ensemble supporting cast that includes at least one legend and a platoon of hip co-stars.
Gervais plays Mark, a film executive in a world so completely honest that its culture doesn’t even include fiction: performers simply tell true stories based on facts from history. With his career bottoming out and a romance with the object of his affection Jennifer (Jennifer Garner) going nowhere fast, he has a brainstorm: lie about how much money he wants to withdraw from a bank. The teller believes him (apparently it’s also a world without ATM’s), and his lying career is off and running. The film goes on to show the consequences of bearing false witness and, we imagine, the redemptive power of honesty.
Probably the first film that comes to mind here, at least after watching the pretty standard trailer, is 1997’s Liar, Liar. The twist is that instead of Jim Carrey only telling the truth, the plot has one guy telling lies while everyone around him is utterly forthcoming. Gervais’ previous film, last year’s Ghost Town, was about a hapless schmoe given the unwanted gift of communication with dead people. That film eventually sank into the usual Hollywood cliches but was buoyed by Gervais’ and co-star Greg Kinnear’s impossible-to-dislike screen presences. Likewise, there’s little to suggest this film is going to be anything too unpredictable: Gervais-as-movie star remains an emerging marketable brand for audience over 35, as do co-stars Garner, Jason Bateman, and Tina Fey.
Joining them are Rob Lowe as Mark’s nemesis and Louis CK as his buddy, while Christopher Guest, Patrick Stewart and Jeffrey Tambor all show up in various roles, too. That sounds promising enough, but big ensemble groups rarely pay off for comedy: Shandling’s Town & Country (2001) had a colossal amount of talent but ended up the biggest money-loser in motion picture history, a failure caused somewhat by its inability to meet expectations. Yet that comparison is probably unfair. While The Invention of Lying doesn’t share that earlier film’s production problems and budget overruns, it also lacks its pedigree.
Ultimately, it’s somewhat hip to like Gervais, and the film will find an audience among its target demographic while possibly luring a few college kids thanks to the inclusion of Jonah Hill (Superbad). Which is probably all it wants: to find a nice corner of the multiplex and settle in for a pleasant enough and profitable run. Its working title was The Other Side of Truth, but may we suggest Universal Pictures follow the example of its premise and rename the film Adult Ensemble High Concept Comedy for Autumn 2009? Truth in advertising, and all that.
The Invention of Lying opens nationwide September 25th.
- Michael Kabel
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