Ricky Gervais' latest is disappointing. The movie is about a man living in a world where everyone tells the truth. This man, however, tells the world's first lie. The movie's high concept grows stale after the first two minutes. It was an interesting idea, but it just can't satisfy an entire movie. A short sketch, perhaps, would have worked better. The jokes are all put-downs, so every joke is pretty much recycled. Did you know Gervais is fat and has a big nose? Well, by the end of this, you will...
It's full of contradictions. How can Edward Norton, in a cameo, be a corrupt cop when he can only tell the truth? How can gambling exist in an honest world? How would people bluff in card games? There's a pleasant surprise in it that Gervais is very good in a few emotional scenes, and he's genuinely moving. A few choice gags are there; a coke advertisement is pretty funny, and Rob Lowe is always dependable. But good moments are few and far between.
It's painfully unfunny for the majority of the time, and the plot really doesn't go anywhere. Jennifer Garner's character, even in a world where insults are accepted, is horribly unlikable character and an uninteresting love interest.
It's a shame, really, because Gervais has proved his comedic ingenuity in the past, so this embarrassing hiccup is very disappointing. I'd give it a miss. It's not a great experience.
It's full of contradictions. How can Edward Norton, in a cameo, be a corrupt cop when he can only tell the truth? How can gambling exist in an honest world? How would people bluff in card games? There's a pleasant surprise in it that Gervais is very good in a few emotional scenes, and he's genuinely moving. A few choice gags are there; a coke advertisement is pretty funny, and Rob Lowe is always dependable. But good moments are few and far between.
It's painfully unfunny for the majority of the time, and the plot really doesn't go anywhere. Jennifer Garner's character, even in a world where insults are accepted, is horribly unlikable character and an uninteresting love interest.
It's a shame, really, because Gervais has proved his comedic ingenuity in the past, so this embarrassing hiccup is very disappointing. I'd give it a miss. It's not a great experience.