Movie of My Week: "The Invention of Lying" (2009)

I am almost always greatly intrigued by Ricky Gervais' work, although I like the American version of "The Office" a lot better, and I thought "Extras" was good but not great.

I actually like him best in standup, where his persona is certainly a change of pace.  He's got an HBO special on On Demand now that's worth catching. 

What has really gotten me to be a big fan of his are his two major movies to date:  Ghost Town (2008) where he acts but does not direct, and this one, where he co-directs and co-writes.

What's weird is that the two stories are strangely similar in their message:  basically about the need to be kind to people.  

Ghost Town did badly (cost 20, did less), but it had Tea Leoni whom I will watch in anything--going all the way back when TV folks thought she was the new Lucille Ball in that little series of hers.  She and the scenario are the two reasons why I make everyone I like watch "Deep Impact" with me--along with "Contact" (big Jodie Foster fan too going all the way to her kid work).

I was really captivated by Ghost Town, so I was truly psyched to see "The Invention of Lying," and yet I missed it in theaters, only to catch it a while back during my speech up in upstate NY.  Like Ghost Town, it was low cost (about 18), but this time it broke even.  I thought the plot and the script were pure genius, and I really liked watching him again as an awkward, unconventional leading man. Jennifer Garner did a very nice job, and Gervais got a ton of great actors to do small bits (Tina Fey, Philip Hoffman--who plays the best dumb guy I've ever seen in a cameo).

But the gripping bit here is how he plays with the notion of religion, which is really fascinating.  I know the notion of somebody just making it all up really offends, but it actually made me wonder about Jesus Christ all the more.  What I took away:  no matter what the path, humanity needs some sense of disciplining logic, and by definition, that is the greatest story ever told.

I've watched it now three times and find it great from start to finish and definitely worth hearing every line.  Gervais also has a very well-done breakdown scene that impressed me a lot.  I think he'd be a great dramatic actor if he ever wanted to do that, but he's just so devoted to his comedy persona, which I enjoy a lot.

Really worth watching.  Makes you think, and the whole portrayal of a society without lies/fiction/storytelling is clever from top to bottom.  You really have to pay attention to every little bit to catch all the inserted cleverness.

I look forward to his next co-directed film, which should be out soon (listed in IMDB as 2010-er).

Comments

[Federali]

I am now going to hunt down this movie to watch! Good movies are hard to come by these days - but if his can make me laugh and think, I can't wait to see it. I saw that Gervais is going to be in next season's Curb Your Enthusiasm, so you might want to check it out (on HBO of course)!

So I obviously haven't seen the movie yet, but it sounds like religion plays some important role in the film. I'm kind of wondering here if the film and it's take on religion are as you describe: "basically about the need to be kind to people". I'll need to watch the movie and come back perhaps, but it sounds like there may be a question arising of religion's truth claims as not being as important as the good feelings religion can give. I'm not sure if "disciplining logic" follows from this, however. I guess I'll just have to go get the movie and find out!