Writers/Directors: Ricky Gervais & Matthew Robinson
Starring: Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Garner, Louis C.K., Rob Lowe
Review: 3 stars (of five)
The Invention of Lying takes a premise, a world where no one ever lies, misapplies it into a world where people needlessly blurt out every awkward thought, then jettisons all that for an overly familiar story about the nice-guy schlub competing against the slick jerk for the pretty girl. The uneven film still has several highlights.
The premise of the film is carefully explained in voice-over by star, co-writer and co-director Ricky Gervais, the creator and star of the British version of The Office, whose last foray into weird-world comedy was last year’s quirky Ghost Town. No one has ever told a lie, an idea so extreme that entertainment consists entirely of dry, carefully researched documentaries simply read to the audience, with no dramatic recreations. It’s the kind of a world where when a short, tubby doofus like Gervais lands a date with tall, beautiful Jennifer Garner, only to have her constantly and without malice tell him he’s got no chance with her.
Pretty much everything Joss Whedon does includes a character (Anya in Buffy, most especially) whose lack of inner editor and basic human compassion makes her deadpan the most inappropriate comments. This is an entire world of that, and we get sad laughs watching Gervais get beaten up upon — until he somehow learns to lie, in a world where it never occurs to anyone to disbelieve him. Some fun is had with that, as everyone else is reduced to a jibbering idiot, along these lines: “I’m black.” “I didn’t know you were black!” “I’m an Eskimo!” “Wow, that’s cool!”
Much fun is had, but there are two flaws in the execution: First, in a world without lies, there’s still no reason Jennifer Garner would answer the door and say, “I was just masturbating.” Now, if you think about this lack of discretion, and the lack of compassion evident in the way everyone will say cruel, cruel things to Gervais, you can posit that perhaps the film is saying that in a world with no dishonesty, not only is there no flattery, but there is no love or compassion. We can’t spare someone the hurtful truth if we have no concept of not telling the truth at all times. Sketchy, but what the hell.
The film veers onto a very different course when it tackles the subject of religion. The first scene to deal with the topic is actually a very powerful and touching one, and one that makes a statement about faith that is either daringly countercultural or slavishly in line with valueless Hollywood, depending on your politics. Great scene. The film proceeds to run with the concept, though, and we never get back to the lighthearted laughs.
But then the film mostly drops this fertile ground to focus entirely on Gervais’ pursuit of Garner, who is preferring a more advantageous genetic match with the more handsome (if long in the tooth) Rob Lowe. While this plays out in the context of truthworld, it’s still the same old thing: Will the pretty girl learn that there are more important qualities than physical beauty? Or hell, if that’s true, will the less attractive guy stop stalking the very pretty girl who has rejected him?
Not only does this divert us from more interesting story possibilities, but Garner’s relentless superficiality (she’s constantly dreading having “fat, snubnosed children” with Gervais) makes her such an unlikeable character that you really don’t see her as a worthy object of affection.
The film is, then, an uneven collection of ideas, and seems to be Gervais working out personal issues over his appearance and/or luck with the ladies as much as it is an exploration of an oddball comedic conceit. It’s saved by a lot of good jokes, Gervais’ great comic performance, and a stunning array of guest stars in bit parts, from Tina Fey and Phillip Seymour Hoffman to a barely recognizable Edward Norton. The main cast is also enjoyable, including Louis C.K. and Garner (who’s always your go-to girl if you need a beautiful woman to wear all her emotions on her face).
Like the recent Surrogates, it’s a film with an implausible world whose ramifications are fascinating, but the filmmakers are too caught up in conventional stories to make the most of it. Still, you get a few laughs, some food for thought, and you don’t have to see an overweight Ving Rhames in dreadlocks.
