Review of Liar Liar (1997) by Noah Abraham G — 09 Sep 2012

I know Jim Carrey can be a divisive figure, and I understand why. Much like Jack Black and Will Ferrell, he constantly teeters on the line between funny and annoying, and it can be really bad when he errs on the side of irritation. But damn, when he is good, he is really good.

Carrey plays Fletcher Reede, a lawyer who wins all his cases by lying (but which lawyer doesn't, amiright?). Fletcher is divorced, but still clearly in love with his wife Audrey (Maura Tierney) and desperately doing his best to spend time with his son Max (Justin Cooper). When Max is disappointed his birthday, it's the final straw for him, and Max wishes that for one day, his father couldn't tell a lie.

Carrey is on his A-game here, throwing everything at wall and being lucky enough that most of it sticks. Carrey is also allowed to have some dramatic range here, such as the scene when he unwittingly admits both to his ex-wife and himself that he is a bad father. Carrey is really a gifted actor, and it's nice to see a film that balances his talents so well.

The supporting cast makes the wise decision of playing everything straight, with Fletcher's long-suffering secretary Greta (Anne Haney), Jennifer Tilly as Fletcher's gold digger client, and the impatient Judge Stevens (Jason Bernard). Even roles that must have been tempting to overact in, such as Miranda (Amanda Donohoe), the office succubus, are played with subtlety. It prevents the film from losing an anchor in reality.

What's truly surprising about this film is how it avoids pitfalls the film could have easily fallen into. Although Justin Cooper isn't all that good, he's never annoying, and can be quite a good actor at times. But the film's biggest surprise is in casting Audrey's new boyfriend, Jerry (Cary Elwes) in a completely positive light. It would have been to make Jerry an asshole or money-grabbing asshole, but Jerry's only real flaw is the fact that he's boring and maybe he's a little impatient to move things to the next level. He never stops being a nice guy, adding complexity to his role in the movie.

Ultimately, the film, though a bit predictable at times, remains one of Jim Carrey's best, incredibly funny with a nice amount of heart.