"Liar Liar" (1997)
A Film Review by Jason Wallis
"Liar Liar" * Starring Jim Carrey, Maura Tierney, Jennifer Tilly, Swoosie Kurtz, Amanda Donohoe, Jason Bernard, Mitchell Ryan, Anne Haney, Justin Cooper, Cary Elwes, Randall "Tex" Cobb and Cheri Oteri Directed by Tom Shadyac
What is it about Jim Carrey that America finds so appealing? Let's face it, folks: if you're over the age of ten, the guy just isn't funny. I mean, fart jokes can only take you so far. So what is it? He obviously isn't a sex symbol (unless, of course, you dig dorky guys with bad haircuts). Why does this man win so many awards? Why is he so popular? I do not have the answers, and until someone does, this question will plague mankind for years to come. Why doesn't someone just come out and tell him that he's just a jerk who makes a living by making a complete asshole of himself?
And the real kicker is this: it seems that Jimmy actually thinks he has talent! I heard that when he was with his firs wife, he wouldn't do anything that involved work because he said it "disrupted his creative juices". Can you believe this guy? Here you have great actors like Steve Buscemi or Joe Mantegna struggling on the fringes, while no-talent-bums like Carrey are making twenty million dollars a movie and they get conceited!!! Okay, I'm done now.
Actually, I miss stated what I said above. What I meant was that Jim Carrey has no talent as a comedian. In "Liar Liar", he is alot better in the serious scenes that in the comedic ones. The guy just can't make me laugh (although he came close in "Dumb and Dumber", but it was mostly the other characters that made that a good film). Maybe (and I'm stressing the "maybe" part) if he got a good script that didn't have him jumping around like an idiot for an hour and a half, he might (again, might) make something of himself. He just can't keep going on like this if he wants to be taken at least somewhat seriously.
Okay, now for the movie. The film, like Carrey himself, just isn't funny. But, I will give it one star for at least trying. I admit that maybe once or twice I had a mild smirk on my face. And how's this for a plot: for his birthday wish, a kid wishes that his father can't lie for twenty four hours. A little super-natural, if ya ask me. Then you have Carrey put in obvious situations where if he tells the truth, he could be in some serious trouble. In other words, same Jim Carrey crap, different title.
Of course, the makers of "Liar Liar" have to be predictable and make part of the storyline have to do with him winning back the wife he divorced (who he cheated on, nonetheless). Doesn't it mean anything to her that he was unfaithful? Is this really a good lesson to be teaching today's teens? As amoral as kids are today, do we really need the message that if you commit adultery, everything will probably end up okay if you don't do it anymore? If you answered no, then you're right. Not to get all preachy or anything (by the way, if you don't want to know how the film ends, skip the rest of this paragraph), but don't you think it would be a little more realistic if the wife didn't end up back with Jim Carrey? Wait, what am I talking about? Of course any shred of realism is absent in a Carrey flick...
But I guess credit is due for Maura Tierney (or whatever the name is of that girl from "NewsRadio") who plays the divorced wife planning to marry again (this time to Cary Elwes - a much better choice, in my humble opinion). Her character always seems real, even in scenes with Carrey. Kudos to her for being the only positive thing about this film (well, her and maybe Jennifer Tilly).
Out of all the crapsterpieces to come out of 1997 (including, mind you, the likes of "Speed 2: Cruise Control", "The Lost World: Jurassic Park" and "Batman and Robin"), this is probably one of the very worst. Or I guess you could be optimistic and see it as bad filmmaking at it's best. You be the judge (if you want to waste an hour and a half of your life, that is).
Check out Jason Wallis' Filmaholics Anonymous web page at http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Boulevard/7475
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