The Invention of Lying

For the protagonist of Ricky Gervais and Matthew Robinson’s The Invention of Lying, nothing is going his way.

Overweight and unpopular, screenwriter Mark (Gervais) happens to live in a world where no one lies or even knows what a lie is. At his workplace, his boss tells him that his screenplays are stale, an arrogant colleague of his, Brad (Rob Lowe), admits, “I’ve always hated you,” and his secretary (Tina Fey) calls him a “fatty-fat-f—.” His personal life is no different. His too-good-looking sort-of girlfriend Anna (Jennifer Garner) explains that although she enjoys spending time with him, she doesn’t want to have “chubby, snub-nosed kids.” When Mark finds himself unemployed and empty-pocketed, he fortuitously stumbles upon the ability to lie, and, realizing that there are rewards for dishonesty, creates the life he never had. 

Although the film’s first 20 minutes crackle with brash comedic dialogue, it becomes old and far-fetched. No one would ever be as abrasive as everyone in this parallel universe is: honesty does not equate to perpetual insults. Gervais attempts to assert himself as an every(English)man, but his limiting stand-up comedic presence isn’t able to elevate him from iconic television writer to silver-screen leading man. Although Garner is touchingly vulnerable as Mark’s untactful, often inappropriate love interest, their relationship has no on-screen merit, and even she is unable to establish any chemistry. The many A-list cameos are memorable, but their appearances are nothing more than respectful nods to Gervais. 

A self-indulgent writer, Gervais soon may be likened to Woody Allen in that they write of beautiful women falling in love with unattractive and poor yet witty men. This sort of lie is only capable of happening in their respective imaginations.