Liar Liar (1997) User Reviews

One of Jim Carrey's funniest movies

[Atreyu_II · 7/10 · 21 August 2007]

This movie is absolutely hilarious! There are few movies as humorous as this one, being "Mousehunt" one of those few - another 1997 motion picture.

Every minute of "Liar Liar" is pure fun and every minute means a good laughter. Many moments are hysterical! Jim Carrey is often a great comedian, but this is him at his funniest side.

The story is very funny and entertaining: Fletcher Reede, a lawyer with the habit of lying and breaking promises, suddenly sees himself forced to become honest during the next 24 hours after his son's birthday wish comes true. He doesn't understand what's happening to him and that is driving him insane... he can't tell any lies, not even write a little lie! Whenever he tries to and whenever he talks, it's a huge mess for sure! He even transforms the court room into a circus, seems to lose his mind and makes goofy faces! Incredibly hilarious!

The actors have great performances. Jim Carrey is great as Fletcher Reede, but there are other equally good actors, like Maura Tierney as Audrey Reede, Cary Elwes as Jerry and little Justin Cooper as Max (Fletcher's son). Max is also referred to as "Maximillian" and "Monster Max" by his father, who loves to do "The Claw" much for his son's delight. I know Cary Elwes from "Robin Hood: Men in Tights" and I do know that he is an English actor, but he speaks with a good American accent in this film. Some might think that Jim Carrey overacts here and that his humor is too crummy, but the energy he shows here is not something anybody could do. It requires a very energetic and patient comedian and Jim Carrey proves his talent to do so. The kid is cute. He almost looks like Sean Marshall in "Pete's Dragon", with that face and long hair.

At my point of view, "Liar Liar" has funny humor, not irritating or dirty humor. It is a modern light-hearted comedy. Its aim is purely fun at the highest level. I think it's difficult not laughing while watching this movie. Lots of very funny lines are another attribute.

Directed by Tom Shadyac, "Liar Liar" is the best thing Jim Carrey and Tom Shadyac ever did together and slightly superior than the later "Bruce Almighty".

Pants on fire

[DennisLittrell · 7/10 · 20 October 2002]

Jim Carrey puts so much energy and pure comedic brilliance into this movie that we hardly noticed how corny and hackneyed was the plot or how wearily didactic was the moral lesson for all fathers who neglect their children for the goddess of success. And really we didn't care. What we loved almost as much as Carrey's rubber mouth and oral blockage (like an overheated boiler fighting not to explode) was the premise: a lawyer that can't lie. Now there's an oxymoron! As Carrey tries to explain to his son Max, lawyers need to lie. Actually he says grownups need to lie, which is a truth that we really do not need to exam too closely here. To laugh at something deeply troubling in our nature is a way of dealing with it.

So the genius of this movie is first the talent of Jim Carrey, but second, for kids who come to the realization of adult mendacity for the first time, it is the discovery of comedy as a way to cope. Why do adults need to lie? is a question that a kid can never figure out, and then by the time he is an adult himself (or actually a teenager), he can no longer comprehend how important the question once was. Call it innocence lost, or the socialization process.

My favorite part of the movie is the courtroom scene with Jennifer Tilly dressed oh so sluttily and her adulterous beaux looking like a model for the cover of a romance novel and Carrey in tatters in his $900 suit. Second would be the bathroom scene in which Carrey tries to tear himself apart (and seems to almost succeed). His flapping mouth between the toilet seat and the bowl was inspired. Give some credit to director Tom Shadyac, who managed to steer the vehicle with Carrey at the controls, and to writers, Paul Guay and Stephen Mazur, who wrote some funny lines.

The great comedians totally let themselves go. They are totally on. They go to extremes and beyond. It's like transcending not just the ordinary, but even the imagined. See this obviously for Jim Carrey, one of the great comedic talents of our time, an original who would have delighted Charlie Chaplin with his extraordinary muggings, his blatant audacity and his suburb timing.

(Note: Over 500 of my movie reviews are now available in my book "Cut to the Chaise Lounge or I Can't Believe I Swallowed the Remote!" Get it at Amazon!)

Jim Carrey is back in yet another great comedy, although it doesn't quite live up to the spectacular Dumb & Dumber.

[Anonymous_Maxine · 8/10 · 3 September 2000]

Liar Liar is about a boy who, after being stood up by his big-shot lawyer father one too many times, wishes that for just one day his dad couldn't lie. This wreaks havoc on his personal life and even more on his professional life as a lawyer who makes a living putting criminals back on the streets.

Carrey is immediately and constantly hilarious in his role as the unwillfully honest Fletcher Reede. Every scene is full of awkwardly straightforward behavior and dialogue ("Whatever takes the focus off your head!) that is funny because it is so unusual and unexpected. Maura Tierney delivers one of the best performances of her career (second only to her wonderful job in Primal Fear), but Cary Elwes plays a disappointing turn from his amazing job in The Princess Bride. Seeing him as the endlessly charming Wesley in that film and then seeing him as a squirrely step-father type in Liar Liar just didn't seem to fit, but the film was able to overcome such small problems and present itself as a good and entertaining comedy.

In addition to the good comedy that Liar Liar presented, there were strange comedic scenes that Carrey had never done before. For example, I have never seen him portray a descent into madness as was shown with the blue pen, and it should be noted how well this funny man played the part of a man trying very hard not to be funny, with hilarious results. This is a bit like his role in Man on the Moon where he was a comedian playing a comedian who was often deliberately not funny, and the results there were hilarious as well. Jim Carrey's great comedy acting skills were a crucial element of this film, but they are not the only redeeming value of the movie itself. The story is solid and legitimate as well, and it is well-presented and directed, resulting in a good, fun comedy.

Gotta love the concept

[mjw2305 · 7/10 · 20 January 2007]

Jim Carrey is an attorney, who finds putting his family before his work to be a tough challenge, when he fails to show up at his son's birthday party; his son make a wish that prevents him from lying. With a huge career changing case that is based solely on lies about to go to trial, he is stuck in an unfamiliar position, that may just change his life.

Jim Carrey is on top form for this one, giving one of his most hilarious performances to date, he is well supported by the likes of Jennifer Tilly, Swoosie Kurtz and Amanda Donohue, and the winning concept of the movies theme realises its potential.

7/10 Great fun

Carrey at his best

[TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews · 7/10 · 30 July 2004]

I have to admit, I'm probably a little biased with this movie, as it contains two of the things I love the most in any movie; court scenes and Jim Carrey. I'll try my best to be objective in this review, though. The plot is good, and as the film barely takes 90 minutes it's fairly fast-paced(well, for a Jim Carrey comedy, anyway); I don't think there ever passes 5 minutes without one single joke. The acting is fairly good; Jim Carrey is in his element, so it's no surprise that he's good, but I did find both Maura Tierney and Cary Elwes pretty good too. I know that Elwes is English, not American, and after seeing another movie in which he has a strong English accent(Robin Hood: Men in Tights), I was impressed at how well he does American parts as well. The characters are well-written and credible. The humor is great, partly because it's, well, Carrey, but also because unlike some of Carrey's previous roles, this is fairly "clean", so teenagers and some kids will be able to enjoy it as well. The theme of the film is great; I mean, we all know that we lie several times a day(heck, it's even been scientifically proved), but what about if we, for one whole day, couldn't tell one single lie? Great theme, provokes some thought and is executed fairly well in the film, though I do think it could have been done a tad better. Overall, I don't have any major complaints with the film though; I guess it could be argued that most of what Carrey does in this film, the comedy and all, is stuff he's done before, but that's OK; it's not any less entertaining here, regardless of the fact that we've seen it(or something similar to it) earlier. The dialog is great, with some very memorable and quotable lines. All in all, a typical Carrey film, which can be a good thing as well as bad; Carrey does exactly what you expect him to, and he's very entertaining and all, but it never transcends the standard level of the typical Carrey comedy. On a final note, I think this(as well as his other work) proves that Tom Shadyac is the best there is at bringing out Carrey's talents(he also directed Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and Bruce Almighty). I recommend it to any fan of Jim Carrey and/or Tom Shadyac. 7/10

"I CAN'T LIE!!!"

[Petey-10 · 9 November 2000]

Jim Carrey plays a liar lawyer called Fletcher Reede.His son Max (Justin Cooper) makes a birthday wish that his father can't tell a lie in 24 hours.And the wish comes true. That gets Fletcher in many embarrassing situations.It's hard to tell the truth all the time especially for a lawyer.That's not the only problem Fletcher is having.His ex-wife Audrey (Maura Tierney) is moving to Boston with his boyfriend Jerry (Cary Elwes).That must be stopped.Jim Carrey does incredible role work in this Tom Shadyac's 1997 comedy Liar Liar.Jim is amazing comedian.He can pull his face just like Jerry Lewis.This is completely a Jim Carrey show.There are many hilarious scenes in the courtroom.Liar Liar is for all you liars out there.

I found him like this in the bathroom, your honor. Somebody beat the hell out of him!

[JuniorAndTwinsFanForLife · 7/10 · 22 August 2023]

The best moment of "Liar Liar" is when Jim Carrey enters the elevator with the woman who just moved into his building. She tells Jim Carrey she likes the building so far and everybody's been real nice. Jim Carrey eloquently delivers his brilliant response: "Well, that's because you have big jugs." If you didn't laugh at this scene, you're not someone I want to be friends with.

Also, viewers will notice Jim Carrey's secretary is the same actress from "Mrs. Doubtfire" who shows up to inspect Robin Williamses' apartment. If you haven't already, you need to watch "Mrs. Doubtfire", another 1990's classic, particularly the scene where Robin Williams mashes his entire face into the cake then pops up his head from the refrigerator and exclaims "HelllooooooOOOOOO!!!"

Good spirited and absolutely hilarious film!

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 10 September 2009]

True the plot is a little corny, my only criticism of the movie, but Jim Carrey's wonderfully energetic and most of the time hilarious performance more than compensates. Liar Liar is easily one of Carrey's better films, I do confess I will need to see a few more of his movies before concluding which one's his best to save bias. What Liar Liar manages to do is have a slightly corny though very interesting idea, and make into a good spirited and absolutely hilarious film. The script almost the whole time verged on hysterically funny, and there are many priceless scenes, especially the courtroom scene- I needed to go to the bathroom to check I hadn't wet myself from laughing so much. The other performances were great, Cary Elwes was excellent, and the boy was very sweet and charming. Overall, a hilarious movie, that does cheer you up considerably after a hard day, I still chuckle even thinking of it. There is so much to recommend this, but at the end of the day, it is Carrey's picture. 9.5/10 Bethany Cox

One of Carrey's finest -- it doesn't try to be anything it isn't. Would I lie?

[MovieAddict2016 · 6/10 · 16 December 2003]

"My dad is a liar," a small child says. "You mean a lawyer," his teacher responds. He shrugs his shoulders. They're both the same, aren't they?

Jim Carrey is a liar in "Liar Liar" (1997), which successfully uses Jim Carrey -- the king of annoyance -- to its full advantage.

Jim Carrey has, given time, grown on me. I didn't like him at first. Then I learned to put up with him. Now I find him perfect for some film roles such as Lloyd Christmas in "Dumb and Dumber" (1994).

I never think that Jim Carrey is ideal for a role, really, until I see him in it, and then I think that no one could have done it quite so well. But I still don't particularly think he's a very good comedian, per se.

Here he plays Fletcher Reede, a high-grade attorney so caught up in his work that he has little time to devote to his young son, Max (Justin Cooper), the type of plot-created kid that these type of films deserve. Max is mad that his dad keeps missing out on all his activities, so his birthday wish is every lawyer's worst nightmare: no lying.

Max wishes (or commands) that his father can no longer tell any lies, and the wish is granted by the powers that be. This is a problem for Fletcher, indeed, since he has just acquired the case of an adultress housewife (Jennifer Tilly) who wants to keep her kids. She spills the truth to Fletcher -- that she has had many affairs -- and this is not the type of thing a man uncapable of lying is able to cope with.

Fletcher spills his guts at the court proceedings, tarnishing his image as a professional lawyer. In one of the film's better scenes, he walks into a court bathroom and beats himself up, slamming his head in a toilet and punching himself so that he can postpone the trial to a later date.

Why is the sight of a man violently clapping his head against and between a toilet seat funny? Because it's Jim Carrey who, as I mentioned above, may not be the funniest man alive, but by the box office numbers may technically be -- and he does have a knack for physical, spastic comedy (too bad it can overtake his roles sometimes). Here he unleashes it when it is needed, and it works, because it is not a pointless exercise in energetic behavior, but quite the contrary.

The situations one can get into with the restrictions of only telling the truth are limitless. These types of formulas always work good in Carrey's movies -- those involving abnormal abilities. There's a reason they keep making similar films following the same formula.

As my (small number of) readers probably know, I am not a commercial critic with my grading scale. I am quite conservative, only giving high ratings to films that really deserve them. I hesitate to give "Liar Liar" anything more than the rating I have given it, although I must say that it is a very fine comedy with some great gut-busting laughs, and that any fan of inventive comedy -- Carrey fans or not -- should see this movie.

After all, would I lie?

4/5 stars.

• John Ulmer

I love this movie!!

[alanismorrisette7 · 10/10 · 27 February 2007]

I loved this movie, it's so funny :D one of the best comedy movies ever!!! It has (like many movies) a message, that it's best to tell the truth, but above all it was very funny. My favorite scene was:

About Mr. Allen

Miranda: Well, what do you think of him? Fletcher: He's a pedantic, pontificating, pretentious bastard, a belligerent old fart, a worthless steaming pile of cow dung, figuratively speaking. a moment passes and Mr. Allen starts laughing. The other board members follow his lead and start laughing also] Mr. Allen: That's the funniest damn thing I have ever heard. You're a real card, Reede. I love a good roast. Do Simmons. Fletcher: Simmons is old. He should have been out of the game years ago but he can't stay home because he hates his wife. You have met her at the Christmas parties, she's the one that gets plastered and calls him a retard, and you, Tom; you're the biggest brown nose I have ever seen. You have got your head so far up Mr. Allen's ass, I can't tell where you end and he begins. Mr. Allen: *roaring with laughter* Priceless! *Fletcher continues with every member* Fletcher: You have bad breath caused by gingivitis. You couldn't get a porn star off. Your hairpiece looks like something that was killed crossing the highway. I don't know whether to comb it or scrape it off with a shovel and bury it in lime. Loser! Idiot! Wimp! Degenerate! *Slut*! Mr. Allen: I like your style, Reede! That's just what this stuffy company needs - a little irreverence! Fletcher: Good! I'll see you later, dick-head!

Great movie!!!

Has Its Moments, But Wears Thin

[ccthemovieman-1 · 6/10 · 14 May 2006]

This is another of fairly-early Jim Carrey films in which he played a dopey, exaggerated character that is funny but can wear thin on you after awhile. It's almost exhausting to watch this guy for over more than 45 minutes at one time with all the gyrations, rubber faces, screaming and yelling. I am glad he has mostly abandoned roles like this since the turn of the century and done a lot better work.

But, the premise of the film is good and there are genuine some laugh-out-loud scenes, mainly early on in the film. If the language and Jim had just been toned down a bit, this would have a really good movie.

Once again, this PG-13 rating is a joke. It is not what you want your young teens to watch.

The best comedy of 1997!

[jhaggardjr · 10/10 · 5 December 2000]

"Liar, Liar" was easily the best comedy of 1997. When I saw this when it first came out in theaters I was literally laughing my head off. Jim Carrey gives the best comic performance of his career here as Fletcher Reede, a fast-talking lawyer who's always lying. His son Max doesn't like this one bit. Fletcher promises Max that he'll be at his 5th birthday party. But Fletcher calls and tells his ex-wife Audrey that he can't make it because at the moment he's being seduced by a female partner. Max has had enough. His birthday wish: for one day his father can't tell a lie. And it miraculously comes true! And this is where the movie gets explosively funny. This is the beginning of a long and crazy day for Fletcher. He gets in trouble left and right. Everyone around him thinks he's going crazy. And the habitual liar continuously makes a complete fool of himself. Carrey is the whole show here in what has got to be the craziest, nuttiest, silliest, goofiest, and downright best comic performance of his career. And he's got a terrific cast of actors to support him. Maura Tierney and Justin Cooper shine in the main supporting roles as Audrey and Max, respectably. Swoosie Kurtz, Jennifer Tilly, Amanda Donohoe, Anne Haney, Cary Elwes, Mitchell Ryan, and the late Jason Bernard also generate laughs amongst the craziness. "Liar, Liar" is one extremely funny comedy directed by Tom Shadyac who directed another crazy comedy, the aptly titled remake "The Nutty Professor". "Liar, Liar" has lots of big laughs and I enjoyed it alot. One of the best comedies of all-time.

**** (out of four)

Carrey at his brilliant best!

[CrazyArty · 7/10 · 11 December 2021]

Inventive comedy starring Jim Carrey. A lawyer, after his son's birthday wish comes true, is unable to lie for a whole day.

A perfect vehicle to exhibit Jim Carrey's unique talents. In fact, he makes this movie. Without him it would be poor. Carrey does an excellent job and the film is funny and very memorable. Worth a watch.

More over the top than even Jerry Lewis

[Freethinker_Atheist · 5/10 · 22 April 2018]

I do not believe in reincarnation, but there is no doubt in my mind that Jim Carrey is the reincarnation of Jerry Lewis. As a kid, I was a huge fan of Lewis, but if you find his acting annoyingly over the top, it is nothing compared to Carrey's over the top acting. This movie is not good, yet I still laughed - exactly because Carrey's acting is so over the top from beginning to end, which means every 10 minutes or so some of his overacting will inevitably make you laugh. In fact, Carrey's overacting is the very reason why you should watch this movie, because it really is amazing!

Cute message movie with Jim Carrey

[StanleyStrangelove · 12 September 2005]

Liar Liar is one solution to the problem of what kind of movie vehicle to write for overacting, rubber man Jim Carrey. Following the success of Ace Ventura, director Tom Shaydac casts Carrey as a divorced lawyer who has no time for his young son. In the film, the word liar is a pun on lawyer, equating the two words since his character is a lying lawyer. Every time he promises to attend one of his son's school events or play with him, Carrey finds some excuse to get out of it. His son makes a birthday wish that just for one day his dad would tell the truth and it happens. Carrey is incapable of lying and when he tries to lie, his face and body go into every contortion imaginable as he tries to suppress the truth. There is a literally "off the wall" scene where he beats himself up in a bathroom. Carrey is a likable guy and carries the movie. Of course, you can't believe for a second that he's a lawyer but belief is not needed in this film. This is a movie with a message that fathers shouldn't ignore their children. For a film aimed at kids, there is a surprising amount of boob and sexual humor. Maura Tierney is very cute as his ex-wife. Amanda Donohoe plays Carrey's seductress law partner and Jennifer Tilly is a buxom, bimbo client. Director Tom Shadyac later worked with Carrey in Bruce Almighty. Liar Liar is for Jim Carrey fans and fathers who ignore their kids.

A role tailor-made of Jim Carrey!!

[sauravjoshi85 · 7/10 · 6 November 2021]

Liar Liar is a fantasy comedy film directed by Tom Shadyac and stars Jim Carrey, Maura Tierney, Justin Cooper, Cary Elwes, Late Anne Haney, Jennifer Tilly and Amanda Donohoe.

A lawyer who is also a habitual liars life turns upside down when his son wishes him to speak truth for one day and his wish comes true.

This is film can easily be called as all in all a true Jim Carrey film and it seems that this role was tailor made for him, he had completely had outshone almost everyone in the film with his strong acting and for me this is one of his best roles.

The plot of the film is predictable but the execution of the film is great and will keep you engaged through out. The acting is great but as mentioned earlier it's a typical Jim Carrey film.

The screenplay of the film is good and the climax of the film is as expected is predictable but will not disappoint. A must watch for Jim Carrey Fans.

Classic Jim Carrey

[ChayLuck · 7/10 · 8 November 2021]

I like the film. There is no big story but small messages to lawyers, fathers, priority in our lives, finding hapiness, doing the right thing. Film makes you laugh and meanwhile giving you this small messages with Jim Carrey's extraordinary character. There is no random scenes make you laugh every scene following order to tell you something and this is why i like this movie.

I've had better......

[FlashCallahan · 6/10 · 5 June 2016]

Fletcher Reede is a fast talking attorney and habitual liar. When his son Max blows out the candles on his fifth birthday cake, he has only one wish, 'that his dad would stop lying for 24 hours'.

When Max's wish miraculously comes true, Fletcher discovers that his usual smooth talking, has suddenly become his biggest liability.

Legal and emotional havoc takes its toll as soon as the candles are blown out as Fletcher tries to keep his practice afloat and his ex-wife Audrey from taking their son and moving to Boston......

Between the release of Ace Ventura and The Truman Show, it seemed that nothing could stop Jim Carrey at the box office........maybe Ben Stiller directing him, but The Cable Guy was a highly original piece of work. Maybe a little left-field for the masses,but it's still one of his best popcorn movies.

But what made Carrey so huge was simply his mugging and his animated performance in each film. He basically played the same character with different names and haircuts in each film.

You will find a lot of Ace, The Riddler, and Stanley Ipkiss in this performance. In fact Bruce Almighty could have been called Fletcher Almighty and have been a direct sequel to this, and no one would have fluttered an eyelid.

The film is perfunctory, and has an almighty sweet streak running right down its sugar coated sign, but we all know why we saw this film, for his hilarious lying, his facial contortions, and the part where everyone becomes so happy, that life could never be more perfect.

But nearly twenty years later, it's easy to see why Carrey's star has faded. He was a one trick pony at comedy, played the same character every time, and yes, The Truman Show was good, but it isn't as amazing as what critics made it out to be.

It just stood out because he did something from the norm.

So all in all it's still funny, but the parts where Carrey isn't mugging or lying, it's pretty bland stuff.

Jim Carrey's best film!

[Smells_Like_Cheese · 10/10 · 15 November 2003]

Liar Liar is in my top 3 favorite comedies of all time and my favorite Jim Carrey flick! He was just so awesome and hilarious in Liar Liar! Not only did he do mental comedy, but physical comedy that will make your stomach hurt from laughing so much! I'm not kidding when I say that I know a dozen people where we just rehearse the lines from Liar Liar back and forth, because all the scenes are just so memorable.

Fletcher Reed is a lawyer who, surprise, lies to win cases. He's a huge success and is about to be made partner by his firm if he wins one last case for Mrs. Cole, a divorcée who cheated on her husband with tons of proof against her, Fletcher has to prove that she was a victim of circumstance. Fletcher has a son and an ex wife as well, he lies to them all the time as well and makes excuses why he can't spend enough time with his son, Max. When he lies and cancels going to Max's birthday party to sleep with his boss to get ahead, Max is terribly disappointed and hurt, so he makes one birthday wish, that his father cannot lie... guess what? It works!

Fletcher wakes up and tells his boss she was not the best he had, leading to an encounter with a hottie in the elevator and making offensive comments about her "jugs". He passes a homeless man and tells him why he doesn't give change to "the decay of western society!" and goes to court not very ready to fight his case that could make or break his career since he can't lie. More comedy ensues as Fletcher deals with the pressure on how to learn to tell the truth to win the case and prevent his son and ex wife from moving to Boston with her new boyfriend.

Liar Liar will make your sides hurt and you'll watch this movie again and again when you see how hilarious Jim Carrey is. My sister isn't a Jim Carrey fan and even admitted that she had more than a few good laughs watching this film. Not to mention that it has a great feel good ending that you'll just fall for.

10/10

If Carrey is your man? This is a laugh festival.

[hitchcockthelegend · 7/10 · 6 February 2010]

Flethcher Reade {Jim Carrey} is a sharp tongued attorney for whom lying has become second nature. When his son Max finally gets fed up of Fletcher breaking his promises to him, he makes a birthday wish that his dad can't lie for 24 hours. This creates monumental problems for Fletcher at work, especially as he has a big case in court today.

A delightful premise is executed with boundless energy by Carrey, who clearly revels in the chance to show his flair for berserker visual comedy. Some may say over acting, others will say comic genius, either way there is no getting away from the fact that Carrey's brand of high energy, rubber faced comedy is marketable box office product. There has been an annoying trend in some of his movies where his antics have just engulfed the film, leaving no room for anything, or anyone else, to breathe. That's not the case here tho. The family arc is well treated, and well acted by Justin Cooper & Maura Tierney as Fletcher's son & ex-wife respectively. While the lawyer/court room based story provides plenty of scope that is utilised to get its messages over. It's all silly nonsense of course, but even as the film drifts into treacle pudding territory, the laughs continue to outweigh the moments of froth. Be sure to stay for the outtakes during the closing credits; joyous. 7/10

Great, feel good and funny as always with Jim Carrey

[armandlaskowski · 8/10 · 23 October 2021]

I didn't quite understood the 6.9/10 writing, I mean, honestly, of course it's not a masterpiece but I don't think it ever was the point of it. It's a funny and feel good movie and damn! It does the job perfectly let's be honests. Jim Carrey always do too much but that's why we love him (or not) but the pitch was a good idea, the direction was pretty well made and the genuals acting were great too!

Amusing

[evans-15475 · 7/10 · 12 June 2022]

Amusing film that does get a little tiresome with Jim's overacting, my biggest laugh was in the outtakes at end when we saw an actual me too moment with Jim inappropriate touching of an actress in the lift using the comedy defence.

He made simple pen scene so funny...hilarious movie

[chetanrajkadam · 8/10 · 20 October 2021]

Jim carry is out of the world. Very simple scenes like pen and drinking water while court proceedings made so funny by him and there are many more like this throughout.

A Story About The Times We Live In

[electronmove · 7/10 · 22 March 2022]

This movie is a hate-letter to modern society. Baked beneath the fake kindness and excuses we give when blowing something or someone off when we want to indulge in our own selfish desires, we don't quite realize how built up these fantasy realities of our lives have become until we would be forced for a single day to say nothing but the absolute honest truth and nothing less. And that is what is on display here, as Carrey plays a lawyer who, thanks to his son's birthday wish, can not lie for a single day. It would be funnier if it was not also so simultaneously saddening.

Definitely not a family film, not funny, just crude, rounded off with a bucket of cheese.

[annierobinson-64055 · 1/10 · 10 August 2019]

Terrible film filled to the brim with crude jokes and slapstick 'humour' that anyone with two brain-cells can only roll their eyes at.

Utterly unbelievable that the apparently sane and sensible ex-wife wants anything to do with the Jim Carrey character rather than the thoroughly nice guy she gives up for a useless creep who eternally lets her and their son down, even if he is apparently a reformed person by the end. Even when he is telling the truth, the main character seems to think it is fine to tell his young son that when his mother was pregnant with him she put on weight (wow what a crime) and he lied to say she didn't look bad when he actually thought she looked like 'a cow'. Well, that's a keeper ladies!

Why do all the women in this film let him get away with it? Even his elderly secretary who walks out after learning how he had been underpaying her, mysteriously reappears at the end to bail him out of jail (without explanation) just so the film-makers can get her to make a creepy joke about him whether he's been molested in jail.

Probably says a lot about the makers of the film that his revelation moment is the main character's about face in court where he suddenly argues in favour of the defendant he is meant to be opposing - arguing to the judge in a custody case that the father is a good guy despite the fact he just proved he married her as an under-age girl - apparently we're meant to shrug this off as a mistake any decent man might make?

The whole film is yuk from start to finish. Only anyone who for reasons passing logic enjoys Carrey's manic gurning should watch, but definitely not with children present.