The Invention Of Lying

If you can’t be bothered reading the whole of this review, it’s really quite simple - your opinion of Ricky Gervais will determine how you enjoy the movie. For those who admire the fact he puts more into his comedies than just laughs and can’t get enough of his shtick (the unfinished sentences, the everyday humiliation, the disbelieving looks) it's well worth a watch. For those who don’t get his unique brand of funny business and just want dumb laughs without any ideas, most of material will probably pass you by. Frustratingly though, even the most zealous Brent devotee will struggle to avoid feeling a nagging sense of disappointment.

In a world where people haven’t evolved the ability to lie, Mark Bellison (Gervais) is fed up with the harsh realities of life. All of a sudden Mark discovers he has the unique ability to say things that aren’t true and decides to use this to get everything he’s ever wanted. However, when his lies spiral out of control and the out-of-his-league girl (Jennifer Garner) still won't commit, it seems lying isn’t the answer to all life’s problems.

Perhaps this isn't as good as you feel it could be because Ricky didn’t collaborate with perma co-creator Steve Merchant as usual? Or maybe it is because he co-wrote and co-directed with newcomer Matthew Robinson using material that - also unusually - wasn’t his own? Regardless, the slightly-overlong running time could have used a trim and a few of the gags suffer from overuse. Yes, fat with a snub-nose, we get it.

Still, the premise is refreshingly more original than 95 per cent of comedies out there. While it occasionally falls flat and inevitably outstays its welcome, there's a nice Bruce Almighty-feel and a few subtle, on-the-money gems (like a Pepsi advert that reads “For When They Don’t Have Coke”). Problematically, the permanent truth-telling renders most of the support unlikeable (it's more like they’re compelled to say the bluntest thing on their mind as opposed to not lying), but Gervais remains sympathetic throughout.

It is its ambition that leads to its undoing. Starting off as a high-pitch comedy, Gervais and Robinson then move into an examination of human nature (hot people only date other hot people, etc) before making a surprising detour into religious satire (interestingly, not even hinted at in the trailers...) and finish as a rom-com. It’s not that none of this works - it does and leads to moments of genuine poignancy (Mark's farewell to his mum) and hilarity (the Jesus sight gag). The problems is that the majority of cinemagoers tragically prefer simple-minded dross like The Hangover. Sigh.

Arguably only for Ricky Gervais fans as its not up to his usual high standards, but The Invention Of Lying is still an ambitious and intelligent 'comedy' that'll pass most viewers by. And that's no lie…