Let’s be honest – nothing can trump Ricky Gervais’s first comedic brainchild, “The Office.” “The Invention of Lying,” like Gervais’s sitcom, introduces audiences to a new and inventive style of comedy. It’s a new type of funny – and it works.
Living in a bleak alternate reality in which people only tell the truth and relationships are forged on purely Darwinian principles, portly and unhandsome screenwriter Mark Bellison (Gervais) must deal with a life of self-effacement. Bellison is forced to hear the harsh judgments of his acquaintances, as women explain to him that he is an unattractive man with poor genetics. However, when Bellison discovers the art of “saying something that isn’t,” as he puts it, he exploits the naïveté of those around him in order to create his own, less truthful reality.
The dialogue is the film’s true strength, fresh and eerie as characters divulge their unfiltered thoughts. For instance, a restaurant hostess remarks to Anna (Jennifer Garner), “I feel threatened by your looks, and will loathe seating you. How many are in your party?” Gervais cleverly portrays such exchanges as normal, which entertains and disconcerts the unsuspecting audience.
Gervais’s typical stuttering victim-of-circumstance routine blends perfectly with the brutal straightforwardness of the rest of the cast. Their performances suggest a difference between their matter-of-fact observations and bitter insults, ingeniously camouflaging many of the punchlines.
However, the film is trapped by its romantic comedy formula. Mostly caught up in trifles, the story soon abandons the frenzy of divulgences and depends on cinematic tradition for a feel-good wrap-up.
Infused with sharp writing and unexpected cameos, Gervais’ bold comedic invention is a rare imagination exercise only intended for those who aren’t afraid to laugh at the truth.
To get the day's news and headlines in your inbox each morning, sign up for our email newsletters.
