For Jim Carrey fans

Rating: 6/10 (31 March 2009)

Jim Carrey is a super-talented comedian with a handsome, elastic face that by rights should be sagging around his knees, given the way he uses it, and he has more energy than any 20 people put together.
I'm a big admirer of him as a talent and as a human being.
That being said, the 1997 "Liar, Liar" is Jim Carrey all the way. He plays a busy, divorced lawyer who has the best of intentions regarding his five-year-old son Max but often winds up disappointing him. He also often takes the easy way out of situations by lying, usually the little white ones. On his son's birthday, he fails to appear at the party because he's having sex with an attorney (Amanda Donohue) who can help him become partner; he lies, obviously, about why he's not there. His son wishes that his father could just not lie for one day. He gets his wish.
The premise is very funny, because I think most of us are not aware of the little platitudes we use so that we don't insult someone, hurt their feelings, or ruin our careers by stating what we really think of someone in power. In the situation of the Carrey character, he has to go into court to defend an adulterous wife (Jennifer Tilly) with a prenup that cuts her out if she ever cheated and claim she never committed adultery. Given his son's wish, he's finding the circumstances impossible.
The story is nothing new, but Carrey's take on it is unique to him as he throws himself on the floor, writhes, sputters, makes noises with his throat, screws up his face - all as he's trying not to lie.
The thing about Carrey is, you have to be in the mood for his specialized, way over the top humor. If you aren't, you need to skip this movie.
A lot of fun for Carrey fans.