Directed by: Tom Shadyac
Starring: Jim Carrey, Maura Tierney, Cary Elwes, Amanda Donohoe, Rebecca Schull, Jennifer Tilly, Justin Cooper, Krista Allen
Fletcher Reede (Carrey) is a career-minded lawyer who continually breaks promises to his son Max (Cooper) to spend time with him. It was Fletcher's career which drove a wedge between he and his ex-wife Audrey (Tierney), and she now dates Jerry (Elwes), a kind doctor who wants to marry her. But she holds out hope that one day Fletcher will become a good father again. One night, when Fletcher is unable to attend Max's birthday party like he promised because he is having sex with his boss Miranda (Donohoe), Max makes a wish that his father cannot lie for 24 hours. For a lawyer like Fletcher, telling the truth could be detrimental to his client, a gold digger (Tilly) trying to win a lot of money in a divorce settlement despite an iron-clad prenup.
Fletcher finds he is unable to tell a lie or even write one down. He knows his client's case is baloney, but saying so out loud would be catastrophic. He tries to physically restrain himself from lying by holding his hands over his mouth or throwing himself into things, but he can't stop telling the truth. This is a role Carrey was born to play with its reliance on physical and sight gags, but the slapstick doesn't generate laughs. I can marvel at Carrey's energy and efforts and still understand they are in vain. The scenes which work better are the sentimental ones where Fletcher learns how much he loves Max.
Liar Liar is one of Carrey's biggest hits and it is a light comedy designed to showcase Carrey's gifts. It does that, but to what end?
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