20 August 2018
The Invention of Lying 2009
- Director: Ricky Gervais
- Based on book: no
- Cast: Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Garner, Rob Lowe, Louis CK, Jeffrey Tambor, Fionnula Flanagan, Tina Frey with just a glimpse of Philip Seymore Hoffman and Stephen Merchant
- Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
- Ricky Gervais – The Office, Life’s Too Short, Stardust, Extras
- Jennifer Garner – Juno, Daredevil, Catch Me If You Can
- Jeffrey Tambor – Pollack, Girl Interrupted, Meet Joe Black, Hill Street Blues
- Fionnula Flanagan – Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, The Others, Some Mother’s Son, many TV series
- Why? Ricky Gervais
- Seen: Once before, now 18 August 2018
Mark (Gervais) lives in a world in which lying does not exist. It’s not possible. Everyone always tells the absolute truth and speaks what’s in their minds. Lying has yet to be invented. On a first date with Mark a young woman speaks frankly about her sex life and her less than flattering opinion of him. The Coke ad on TV says it’s basically brown sugar water that makes you fat.
Mark is fired from his job and his colleagues assure him that they’ve always hated him because he’s a loser. He gets evicted because he can’t pay his rent. He goes to the bank to take out his paltry $300 to cover moving costs but the computer system is down. The teller says, ‘How much do you have? I’ll just give it to you.’ He says…$800. She believes him because nobody ever lies. He gets the money, pays his rent and goes on from there.
This is Ricky Gervais. Extras. The Office. A loser. An arrogant, know-it-all manipulative twat. Pathetic. And hilariously loveable.
Mark sets out to lie his way to success and fortune but basically, he’s a nice guy so he ends up lying to make people happy instead. But then the lies get complicated and muddled and god is invented, hand in hand with lying.
It’s a fairy tale with a bite and a jab at religion. And Ricky Gervais. A concept that can’t go wrong.
4 * of 5
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