Occasionally important comedy that Carrey once again steals

Rating: 7/10 (21 January 2009)

Fletcher (Carrey) is having difficulty seeing his son, putting his career first. On his birthday his son Max (Cooper) wishes that Fletcher can't tell a lie for a whole day.
Jim Carrey has always been a comic genius. From the wonderfully daft Ace Ventura to the insane Mask, the actor has been pleasing audiences for years. On seeing Yes Man in cinemas recently, I couldn't help but feel he has out grown that wonderful slapstick nature he produced so easily. Many have critics have said that recent flick is this 1997 picture all over again, only with a bungee jump and a Terrance Stamp lecture thrown in, and in all honesty, that really is the case, though this is thankfully funnier.
With an inevitable ending and a central character who has to overcome a difficulty for everything to be alright again this is conventional cinema at its most obvious. But, and it's a big but, Carrey has taken his comic ability and thrust that into the central character which will please fans and his Fletcher feels like a somebody, more because he knows he is a bad father.
The issue of parenting is brought up frequently, though far from significant as it was in other comedies like Ferris Bueller's Day off. Thanks to the encoding of this important issue, the story itself feels important, but then it is still lost on cinematic stereotyping and conventional story. As good as the comedy is to; the shine falls on that instead of the important issue of parenthood.
Justin Cooper is really good as Max, a young lad who wants a strong role model. The supporting cast otherwise offers no surprises with everyone as predictable as next Easter.
The narrative with its predictable nature still surprises every so often. There are some sharp moments and Carrey's funny nature maintains likability. His humour is the only reason to carry on watching. The first ten minutes or so are incredibly unfunny by his standard so hang on in there for some great slapstick and insulting comedy.
To be fair the narrative offers up a twist towards the end, but this appears as an attempt to preach to an audience already lost in the comic nature of the film. Kudos of including it though as most comedies round off straight away.
Liar Liar, though consistently predictable, has a charm and a likability that can't be ignored and though the preaching of parenthood is obscured by the comedy, it still feels important.