Invention of Lying
Last night I saw Invention of Lying, the new film by Ricky Gervais.
It was ok, a few laughs but nothing special. What is frustrating is it had so much potential. Anyway to start off, I had read the reviews that it was a world where everyone tells the truth. This is inaccurate. It is a world of David Brents where everyone blurts out what’s on their mind constantly with no tact nor regard for anyones feelings.
A world where everyone tells the truth is one where if asked if you like someone you say no
. In this world you walk up to them and call them an asshole. A slight difference. In the course of the film Rickys character learns how to tell a lie. This is a revelation, not only does no one know what this is there is not even a name for it. He uses it for the greater good, sees how it backfires etc etc. I will try not to spoil anything you can’t guess anyway.
One part which has American critics going ape is that he invents the idea of an afterlife – the worlds first liar creates religion. Some amusing parts of this plot.
I didn’t really connect these as they aren’t in the story. It lumbers from one idea to the next, never really finishing any train of thought off. This is quite symbplic of the worlds characters as they blurt out every thought and carry on with their lives.
I found the concept of the film fascinating, in the same way Sci-Fi takes our world, twists it and explores some idea to allow an abstract view into it this film took our world and said Look what it would look like if no one lied
. This philosophical idea is only ever used for cheap gags and there’s no real pay off apart from a better look at one character.
Unfortunately Gervais’s character comes off as a nice guy in a sea of assholes and by the end hasn’t grown at all, hes still the nice guy of the film.
If you liked David Brent in the Office, this is a film cast entirely of people playing him. If you didn’t you should avoid.