Liar Liar - Review

It's funny how some actors will try to re-create the same movie almost 10 years later. When walking into a Blockbuster (remember those?), I came across a movie called "Yes-Man". I rented it, watched it, and really enjoyed it. That was almost 10 years ago now. Little did I know at the time that Jim Carrey starred in another movie 10 years before that with almost the exact same premise. Instead of never being able to say "No", he is no longer able to lie in "Liar Liar". This is one of those movies that advertises itself as a family comedy. Cute premise, whimsical musical score, a plot that gets going because a little boy makes a birthday wish (the supernatural element) and the classic, "father who puts work over family" scenario. So this movie has many things that we have seen before in other movies. However, this movie does not hold back on more of the adult themes. The first time Jim Carrey tells the truth because of his circumstances is after he had sex with a woman in his office... Not so kid friendly wouldn't you say? This film knows this premise may be unique, but the "dad picking work over family" routine has been done to death, so what do they do? They double down on the jokes they could do with a premise like having a character that can't lie. "Maximize your strengths, downplay your weaknesses." Think about it. In what situations do most people tend to lie? Talking to police officers, in court, talking to your boss, after sex, etc. So, why not put Jim Carrey into all these situations? They make for some great jokes and some fun entertainment. And while Jim Carrey can go a little over the top with the physical comedy and goofiness, Liar Liar is still a fun movie.