Lie To Me

When I see Ricky Gervais on talk shows, or an Awards show like the Emmys or the Golden Globes he's the highlight. A dose of unpredictable, brutally honest, dry British wit. But when his humor is shoehorned into other projects he himself did not write it's an uncomfortable fit.

I wasn't a fan of his last big screen effort "Ghost Town," and the best that can be said for his appearances in the "Night at the Museum" films is that at least he emerged relatively unscathed.

His new project "The Invention of Lying" (which he co-directed and co-wrote) is the first film to really bring out the best in his particular brand of humor. Gervais has created a world where everyone tells the absolute truth all the time. This leads to lots of great jokes about relationships, advertising on television, and even nursing homes. Gervais plays a screenwriter at what looks like the world's dullest movie studio. They produce films of historical record that would make a botany lecture look lively by comparison.

A blind date with Anna (Jennifer Garner) uncovers a vast well of self depricating humor that's a real joy to watch. But she's not a bad person. She's just concerned about his snub nose and the fact they won't be a good genetic match to make a baby.

But then purely by accident he comes up with the world's first lie. And the film has the courage and wit to take that to wonderful, subversive extremes not normally seen in a studio film. It's essentially a one joke movie, but it's a really really good joke. There's some standard issue romantic comedy stuff thrown in too. But those can be forgiven in a film that'll keep you chuckling long after you've left the theater.

"Invention of Lying" Grade: B