Easterner movie reviews: "The Invention of Lying"

In a world where no one can lie, it would be impossible to say "The Invention of Lying" is Oscar material.  Ricky Gervais' new comedy excels in concept but misses the mark in terms of execution.   

Taking place in a world where humans are incapable of lying, Mark Bellison (Gervais) suddenly becomes the first person on Earth with the ability to "say something that isn't" as the characters so succinctly put it. Bellison is a failing writer for a movie firm that only produces historically accurate documentary films about various eras of time.  After a botched production about the 1800's, Bellison finds himself broke and near homeless when unable to pay his rent. 

To save himself, Bellison writes the first fiction story ever told.  The lying soon spins out of his control after telling his dying mother that she'll go to a grand place after death. Bellison unintentionally becomes a false prophet and claims that a "man in the sky" came up with some standard rules for how people should live.

British comedian Gervais plays main character Mark Bellison, the first man to ever discover the power of lying. It's a good effort by Gervais, but a little too much like "The Office," with the main character usually ending up as the butt of every joke.  Gervais is offset by the beautiful Anna McDoogles, played by Jennifer Garner, who gives a subtle performance as the protagonist's brutally honest love interest.

The showcase of comedians continues with Bellison's best friend Greg (Louis C.K.) and his depressed neighbor Frank (Jonah Hill), though neither did much to impact the film.  Not to say the acting wasn't good, but they only provided a few comedic moments, but nothing outrageous. The cameo roles played by the likes of Jason Bateman, Edward Norton and Phillip Seymour-Hoffman, however, kept my attention, if only to look for the next cameo.

I'm all for movies that challenge modern thought and shift paradigms, but loading a radically new concept into a romantic comedy was probably not the best move.  With a set up for the monumental idea of religion being a lie, the film focuses more on quick gags and degrading humor at Gervais' expense.  The characters in the film not only tell nothing but truth, but seem to blurt every single thought and idea uncontrollably. After about the umpteenth person telling Gervais he's a loser, the jokes get old.

This movie was like putting a V8 into a Mazda Miata, the concept just didn't fit the frame.  Again it's very brave to have a plot-line basically calling religion a farce, but to do it in a screwball, Frank Capra like film didn't do it any justice. 

Gervais is no stranger to comedy, and after coming up with something like BBC's "The Office," I was expecting a better delivery with such a profound notion as inventing lying. Gervais co-wrote and directed the film with Matthew Robinson and its painfully obvious how inexperienced the pair are on the silver screen. The opening scene in the film is even narrated by Gervais, who gives every possible detail of a world without lies. While great for a radio program, movies generally do a better job of showing than telling.

The film wasn't horrible, but it wasn't really anything to write home about. Probably best left for a video store rental or an HBO flick. "The Invention of Lying" gets an A for effort, but a C+ for delivery.