Good vehicle for Carrey gurning

Rating: 8/10 (14 March 2020)

Fletcher Reede is an ambitious and unscrupulous lawyer. His success, based on a willingness to say what is necessary, irrespective of whether not it's true, has worked its way into his private life. It has destroyed his marriage - his ex-wife is on the brink of starting a new life with someone else - and it is about to destroy his relationship with his young son. Having been let down once too many times, the lad makes a wish for his Dad to have to tell the truth for 24 hours. This proves hugely problematic in court, where Fletcher is representing a deeply unscrupulous young woman in a divorce case.
Jim Carrey's career started with bit parts, then he abruptly hit it big with a series of movies which involved much face pulling and physical comedy. Liar Liar is towards the end of that phase. The story is good, and Carrey's physical shenanigans while trying, and failing, to lie, are often very funny. The supporting casr are excellent, particularly Maura Tierney as the frustrated and disillusioned wife, Cary Elwes as the rather wet but fundamentally decent new boyfriend, and Jennifer Tilley as Reede's odious client.
Then we found out, in The Trueman Show and The Majestic, that Carrey could actually act.