Ricky Gervais Could Be Better at Lying
This installment of Movieline's Two-Minute Verdict has a look at the trailer for The Invention of Lying, Ricky Gervais's forthcoming comedy about one man who discovers the secret to survival in a world where truth runs roughshod over love, careers and other fragile relationships: The lie. Which obviously looked all right on paper, but is it actually of use (read: funny) in practice? Should I be honest?
So far, not so good. If a trailer's goal is to sell, this one never quite closes the deal with its wincingly dry joke/reaction/repeat strategy. Once Gervais's character has the idea to buck convention and fib, shouldn't we eventually get a sense of the emotional stakes of his decision? As it stands, this seems like perfect red-band material: Oversexed, dark, smart, threatening at any moment to turn into that Gervais-y space where humans stripped of their self-awareness dig deeper holes for themselves. In a world where everybody was so honest that a lie would disarm, shouldn't there be something riskier going on?
I know, I know: At PG-13, there's no red-band-caliber content here. So what else do we have? The joke is over by 30 seconds in, so that's done. Jennifer Garner? She seems all right, if a stretched a little thin. Tina Fey? For two seconds on screen? Rob Lowe in goofy glasses? An unintelligible Jonah Hill? Louis C.K.? Was he not good for at least a couple dirty jokes? One gag or not, let's start this one over again and see if we can't drum up a little more interest with the talent on hand.
VERDICT: Um, no. Would I lie to you?
Comments
Seriously--what the hell is Jonah Hill saying?
He's actually quoting a line he learned from The Leslie Uggams School of Performing: "Gefflushurs, dudda reeyeecown."
Louis CK is in it. That's reason enough for me.
I'm in. I love that droll, sarcastic, sniping little fat man with the pug nose.
I went to a test screening. Lower all of your expectations. A lot.
Jennifer Garner, I'm buying it on DVD. Everyone has their celebrity crush they hold for life. For seven years it's been her. I could care less about how the movie turns out, I'll get it just because.
But Martin Starr was in it! For 3.2 seconds! Martin Starr is awesome!!
But yeah, this will be a rental. Maybe.