Liar, Liar (1997)

This crowd-pleasing comedy-fantasy stars Jim Carrey as a lawyer who 
must tell the truth for 24 hours.  His son makes a birthday wish 
and, poof, magic happens.  Just like a Penny Marshall movie.  And, 
because dad is played by Plastic Man, he can't simply speak the 
truth.  He has to shout it, or spit it, or contort his body to ex-
press it.  LIAR, LIAR is as predictable as its one-joke premise 
suggests, with Carrey on only a slightly shorter leash than usual.  
Though the occasional bit is side-splitting-- a board-room roast, a 
violent double-take or two, and the definitive answer to "how's it 
hangin'?"-- there's little here that we haven't seen (or heard) be-
fore.  Well, okay, he's never tried to tug at our hearts, which is 
what happens at the end, easily the worst part of the movie.  Thank 
God for the outtake reel, rolled over the closing credits.  (Rated 
"PG-13"/87 min.)

Grade: B-
                    
Copyright 1997 by Michael J. Legeros

Originally posted to triangle.movies in March 23, 1997