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Back in 1997, I remember seeing a poster Advertising the Liar Liar movie as a kid and thinking how hilarious it was. This was before a new multiplex opened and destroyed every movie theater in 25 miles. Before that happened, though, I knew I had to see Jim Carrey and the rest of the classic cast. With names like Jennifer Tilly, Krista Allen, Amanda Donahue, Justin Cooper and Samantha Cole, who would not want to check it out? Jim Carrey was on a role. He was writing his own comedy sketches for a little show called In Living Color before he was cast in a terribly written movie called Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. It was destined to bomb, with no hope of being saved. That is, until Jim Carrey saved the day with his outlandish character acting that led to him being a big-name actor.
The plot of the movie Liar Liar that a lawyer, who feels he must lie for his profession, ends up lying throughout every aspect of his life. This causes his son to make a birthday wish that forces the main character, played by Jim Carrey, to not lie for 24 hours. This plot allows for a seemingly infinite amount of comedy situations. Since he is a lawyer, and lying is a major part of his job, the comedy is multiplied.
Maura Tierney plays Audrey Reede, Fletcher’s ex-wife and Max’s mother. She is caught in the middle of Fletcher’s predicament when his son wishes away his lying. Justin Cooper stars as Max Reede, Fletcher’s son and Audrey’s son. He is the one who wishes that his father wouldn’t be able to lie for a day. Cary Elwes plays Jerry, a rival lawyer of Fletcher’s. He is the one who is the most affected by Fletcher’s inability to lie, since he is the lawyer who is trying to take Fletcher’s case away from him.
The cast of Liar Liar interact with each other in various ways. Fletcher and Audrey’s relationship is strained due to Fletcher’s constant lying and Audrey’s inability to trust him. Fletcher and Max have a strong bond, but Max’s wish to make his father tell the truth causes tension between the two. Jerry is the one who profits the most from Fletcher’s inability to lie, as it puts him in a prime position to take away Fletcher’s case. Finally, Max is the one who ultimately benefits from the events of the movie, as he learns to appreciate his father more due to his newfound honesty. The cast of Liar Liar all play their parts in this comedic drama, further emphasizing the importance of telling the truth.
I loved the Liar Liar movie as a kid because it seemed to be a fun family movie. Although I must use the term “family movie” loosely, because there is cursing throughout. Many four-letter words are just the tip of the iceberg of which I assume led to a pg-13 rating. Not to mention that there are sub-themes like adultery, which is not exactly something I would like my child to understand intimately before they hit puberty.
If you come across Liar Liar on DVD (affiliate link) or see it online on Netflix or Hulu or something, be sure to watch it. It’s a fun movie, as I’ve said, and it attributes all of Jim Carrey’s positive traits. Unfortunately, his comedy style begins to go stale after doing films like Bruce Almighty, where the premise and script is funnier than Jim Carrey himself.