REELGUY'S REEL REVIEW: "The Invention of Lying" overlooked comedic brilliance

This brilliant piece of cinema flew right under the radar during its theatrical release in October of 2009 and is going equally unnoticed after its DVD release. That is a real shame. The box art does no real justice to the mind-bending comedic masterpiece that is within. The film's star, Ricky Gervais, despite a hosting gig at 2010's Golden Globes, a supporting role in the "Night at the Museum" series, and a career making performance in Britain's "The Office," is still a relatively unknown talent to mainstream America. That is unfortunate since Gervais' last two pictures, "Ghost Town" and this one, were a perfect blend of dry, intelligent humor and amazing fantasy concepts. "The Invention of Lying" is worth taking a chance on at your local video store, if only to disagree with me (which you won't).

Gervais and Matthew Robinson co-wrote and directed this thought-provoking and surprisingly philosophical picture, which serves as further proof of the literacy of Gervais' comedic style. Gervais stars as Mark, an average, slightly overweight man in a world where lying does not exist. Everyone tells everybody exactly what they are thinking when they are thinking it. Imagine a world without any mental filters?! Sounds funny already, doesn't it? This, however, does not bode well for an average bloke looking for workplace and romantic success. Mark loses his job as a screenwriter (all movies are based off actual events because no one can make anything up) and loses hope after an underwhelming date with Anna (Jennifer Garner; "Juno"). In a financial bind, Mark unexpectedly tells a lie and no one questions it. You might expect that Mark would use this newfound power for self-serving and distasteful reasons. Instead, Mark decides to try and make the world a better place by telling a series of little lies. To fully appreciate how well considered all of Mark's lies and their repercussions are you really need to see the movie.

While Gervais is good as a self-deprecating but morally upright leading man, Jennifer Garner's performance outshines him as a woman trapped between the world as it is and how it should be. Anna is unable to comprehend how Mark can say a non-truth or why he would do so. Her heart battles her mind's social programming, which tells her good genes and looks are the sole reasons for marriage. Garner's facial expressions show her growing uncertainty and the inner turmoil to do what she wants over what she is expected to do. The frequent comedic cameos are a further embellishment to an otherwise top-tier picture. Rarely is a comedy also a mental exercise in philosophy and religion, especially without being offensive, but Gervais and Robinson manage to tread lightly but succinctly. The mental gymnastics required to fully enjoy the picture and the often rude (but not blatantly so) language may not appeal to everyone. Maybe that is why there are so many copies of the movie left on the rental shelves but that's really America's loss.

Rated PG-13 for language including some sexual material and a drug reference.