The Invention of LyingMovie Reviews

Poster art for "The Invention of Lying."

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So-so Based on 1,047 reviews
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Must Go!
Written October 17, 2009
Absolutely don't let bad apples ruin it for you

by gim73

There is alot of hate being written about this great movie. Mostly religious folk are upset because in a world without any fiction whatsoever, religions can't be started. This is a clever movie that touches on human nature, and the relationship between truth and cruelty. This movie just really connected with me as something that everyone should see. I enjoyed that the initial premise that the world is completely without lies stays true (with the exception of the main character) and nobody else is able to 'grasp' the concept of lying. This of course makes many scenes seem very uncomfortable to people who are used to 'white lies' and 'pleasant untruths'. The ads make this movie look like he abuses the power of lies and it corrupts him, but the actual movie goes the opposite direction. Don't bring close minded people to see it, because they simply won't understand it.
- 68 out of 75 found this review helpful.
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Oh No!
Written October 4, 2009
Religious commentary parading as a comedy--waste of time and money

by hollywouldnt

I went to this movie expecting something more along the lines of Liar, Liar--just straight up comedy. I hardly expected it to turn into a tirade mocking Christianity. As a Christian, I generally just steer clear of things that may offend me and let others say and view what they want. However, the ads for this movie completely mask the fact that the biggest lie the movie focuses on is the concept of religion. I am absolutely disappointed and angry that someone would market something so one-sided and offensive as a comedy as a means to get a bigger audience.
- 27 out of 30 found this review helpful.
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Go
Written November 14, 2009
Clever, Funny, good date movie

by HowdyQuinn

Many of the negative reviews of this movie need to be written off because they're reactions from those who cannot handle that the movie takes on religion as a lie. If you realize this is just a movie and look past that, or you're agnostic then this is a movie to be enjoyed. It's a brilliant concept,a clever script and the movie has very funny moments, especailly in scenes with surprise cameos by Jason Bateman, Edward Norton and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Honesty in advertising, business names and making excuses all made for good laughs. I felt the movie came up a bit short in that "honest" people were played up to be naive beyond that of a 3 year old. I also thin k that the script could have found humor and humanity if it had spent a little more time looking at the differnt types of lies and really drove home the point that ultimately we can't lie to ourselves and get away with it. Thumbs up
- 21 out of 24 found this review helpful.
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Go
Written October 3, 2009
I thought it was vey funny! people are too uptight.

by watson1

I'm surprised to read so many bad reviews. I thought it was an extremely funny movie. Although I'll admit that one of the first things I said to my husband upon leaving the theatre was, "I'll bet it offends a lot of Christians", the fact that some of the "lies" he tells people are about the existence of an afterlife or a God (he calls the "man in the sky')

The producers might have anticipated that and chosen not to go that route, although I have to admit I found it funny, even as a Christian myself.

I think people are way too uptight. There are a lot of movies with equally ridiculous premises. Ricky Gervais is very very comical. I had a great time at this movie!
- 17 out of 19 found this review helpful.
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Go
Written May 3, 2010
- Little flat but still funny
by redyeah
- 16 out of 18 found this review helpful.
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Oh No!
Written October 5, 2009
Do not see

by blancoboy7

If you are a Christian you will hate this movie. The entire purpose of which is to portray God as a lie and Christians as mindless idiots. Had to walk out of it is was so over the top.
- 11 out of 13 found this review helpful.
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Oh No!
Written October 5, 2009
are you kidding?

by modulus0826

the premise of the movie is supposed to be about how one man has the ability to lie, whereas no one on the planet has even felt inclined to tell a lie. But the whole honesty thing got very old, very quick. The screenwriting was terrible, I think me and my wife let out a chuckle at the first thirty seconds of the movie, but that was it. We almost left the theatre three times but had to remind ourselves that we spent $7.50 a piece so we toughed it out. Don't waste your money, rent it if you feel so inclined, but go see something else if you make a trip to the theatre.
- 12 out of 16 found this review helpful.
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Go
Written October 26, 2009
The Invention of Lying

by Splotchie

This movie has an excellent premise. First it?s a romantic comedy, but its also a pretty darn good indictment of the gullibility of the human race and our need for religion. Aaahh, light bulb, maybe that?s what?s really at the root of some of these bad reviews. Religion is a huge underlying theme of the movie but also truth in advertising, social stereotyping and shallowness are covered. Pretty serious stuff, right? But there are laughs here so long as the audience is open to the idea of laughing at itself. There are some disconcerting aspects of the film and some contradictions: people spew unwelcome truths without provocation and while one central message seems to be that we should look past physical beauty or lack thereof, Gervais is enamored with a character who from what we?re shown on film almost throughout, offers nothing but her beauty. Even with those little problems this is a comedy that allows you to think and that is often sorely lacking so give it a look see.
- 10 out of 12 found this review helpful.
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Oh No!
Written October 4, 2009
Painfully boring.

by ler816

The move, actors and story line boring. I usually take great offense at movies that take cheap shots at my faith in God, but this one was so far gone that I couldn't even get into a good tizzy about how they try to make anyone who has faith in God and the afterlife stupid for believing the "lie". I've seen some people on here say they will definitely go see this just because it ticks off Christians. To them, I say "HA HA, go for it." I enjoy the last laugh because you are wasting your money on a really boring movie.
- 12 out of 17 found this review helpful.
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So-so
Written October 4, 2009
The Invention of Lyine

by diane722

The movie is not sure what it wants to be. Is it a dark comedy or an anti-religion movie? Or both?
The marketers took the funniest scenes and showed them in the previews: this led everyone to believe that it was a straight comedy. It is not very funny, just full of irony and bitterness.
- 8 out of 9 found this review helpful.
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Oh No!
Written October 4, 2009
Horrible.

by kwork

I also thought this movie was going to be hilarious based on the previews, but when it turned into sarcasm and an attack on Christian faith, I was shocked. To make matters worse, I saw this movie with a friend who is Atheist and it was quite akward. She loved it of course and I hated it. I felt my beliefs were attacked and found the movie to be very anti-God. Let me add that I watch rated R movies all the time and this is the first time in my 25 years that I was actually offended watching a movie.
- 10 out of 14 found this review helpful.
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Must Go!
Written October 27, 2009
Don't believe the bad reviews

by

I set up an account just to rebut the bad reviews for this film.

It is made to make you think.

The subject matter is graphic and blunt in places to contextualize the parallel world where no one can tell a lie,except Ricky.

It was terribly hilarious in the ideas that it put forth. Irreverence hardly sums it up.

If Ricky really is an atheist, it does not mean one can not ponder spiritual matters.

In the context, one could see the ridiculousness of alot of core beliefs of many world religions.

No one really knows for sure what happens when you die, and that's the point. Any one who says they do, I have a bridge to sell you.

Go see the movie and be entertained and urged to think.

Or go see something else with a different purpose in mind.

To trash this movie is to expose your ignorance. Please don't.
- 14 out of 22 found this review helpful.
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Oh No!
Written October 4, 2009
Save your money

by dawgsrus

Don't even spend the money when it goes to DVD... It was stupid and the thing I miss most about this movie is the money I spent for the tickets.
- 8 out of 10 found this review helpful.
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Oh No!
Written November 2, 2009
honest and mean and hurtful

by Creative Director

So the idea of a world where no one can tell a lie, so they are brutally honest and mean and hurtful to each other is FUNNY!... for about 1 minute. Then you are left with over an hour of characters you find mean and stupid and you care nothing about. The concept was good; the idea was badly directed and uncomfortable.
- 8 out of 10 found this review helpful.
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So-so
Written October 5, 2009
Invention of Lying Is Hit and Miss

by terisawyer

Great premise but the delivery is just so-so. The script could have been a lot better. There were lots of slow spots and just not enough laughs. There were some warm moments and a few LOL times, but mostly it was pretty slow and you just didn't care that much about the characters. Very disappointing after such a creative idea. Wait for video.
- 5 out of 5 found this review helpful.
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