The Invention of Lying (2009)

This may be the most philosophical romantic comedy since Groundhog Dog(Ramis, 1993). It starts with the brilliant premise "What if nobody had ever told a lie and did not even understand that a lie was possible?" It is an interesting question. The movie first draws laughs by setting up this type of world. It then draws laughs by showing us how lying can turn the world upset down.

A great comedy entertains and this one does that, but it also raises some highly provocative questions about religion and people's susceptibility to it. To put icing on the cake, the movie has some startlingly beautiful scenes, for example, where the lead character soothes his mother over her coming death and the scene where Mark (Ricky Gervais) refuses to lie to Anna (Jennifer Garner).

Gervais reminds one of Lou Costello with a sweetness and gentleness unique for a comedian unique for this age. Jennifer Garner at age 37 here seems a little too old for the working-girl looking to get married part, but she has never looked more beautiful than in this movie.

There are some nice short scenes with Tina Fey, Jeffrey Tambor and others. One wishes that their characters could have been more developed and had more to do.

On the DVD, there's a great 7 minute prequel, which apparently was supposed to be the beginning of the movie. It is terrific and I think they made a mistake in editing it out. Be sure to watch it.

I plan on showing scenes from this movie to my Philosophy class next semester.

One warning, thoughtless evangelicals will probably see it as an attack on their holiness fantasy, so don't invite your born-again Christian friends over to see it.