The trouble with this film is that it is a mixture of Liar, Liar and Yes Man and they were already successful both featuring Jim Carrey.
Jack McCall (Eddie Murphy) is a literary agent who uses his spiel to get book deals for his clients and willing to stretch the truth to do it. He is trying to get a book deal from a New Age self-help guru, Dr Sinja (Cliff Curtis) who sees through his deceit. Later that night, a Bodhi Tree magically appears in his backyard. Jack discovers that for every word that Jack says, a leaf will fall off of the tree. When the tree runs out of leaves, the tree will die and so will Jack.
In time Jack finds that even written words count towards his limit and if anything happens to the tree will also affect Jack. When Jack tries to cut it down with an axe, an axe wound appears on him. When squirrels climb the tree, it tickles him.
Jack has to deal with life as a man of few words which causes chaos at work and with his personal life. Of course over time Jack becomes a better person as he deals with some past issues in his life regarding his father. You cannot help but smile when he gives the Beatles White album to the Starbucks's worker or finally reads the script from a valet parking attendant and signs him up (the actor playing the attendant is also a writer.)
The film is charming and involving its just not very funny or involves the usual Murphy persona or Jim Carrey style slapstick. Murphy is reined in here which turns off his usual fans and the story is derivative because we have seen it before but its enjoyable in its own right.
Jack McCall (Eddie Murphy) is a literary agent who uses his spiel to get book deals for his clients and willing to stretch the truth to do it. He is trying to get a book deal from a New Age self-help guru, Dr Sinja (Cliff Curtis) who sees through his deceit. Later that night, a Bodhi Tree magically appears in his backyard. Jack discovers that for every word that Jack says, a leaf will fall off of the tree. When the tree runs out of leaves, the tree will die and so will Jack.
In time Jack finds that even written words count towards his limit and if anything happens to the tree will also affect Jack. When Jack tries to cut it down with an axe, an axe wound appears on him. When squirrels climb the tree, it tickles him.
Jack has to deal with life as a man of few words which causes chaos at work and with his personal life. Of course over time Jack becomes a better person as he deals with some past issues in his life regarding his father. You cannot help but smile when he gives the Beatles White album to the Starbucks's worker or finally reads the script from a valet parking attendant and signs him up (the actor playing the attendant is also a writer.)
The film is charming and involving its just not very funny or involves the usual Murphy persona or Jim Carrey style slapstick. Murphy is reined in here which turns off his usual fans and the story is derivative because we have seen it before but its enjoyable in its own right.