Carrey Back In His Element As A Sleazy Lawyer
There is no more popular sport in Hollywood than deflating celebrity egos. The second someone makes a splash, folks can’t wait to toss them an anchor at the first sign of trouble.
When Jim Carrey took Hollywood by storm in 1994 with three $100 million pictures in a single year, his disappointing but eerily engaging dark-comedy follow-up, “The Cable Guy,” was an instant critical pinata. The film took a beating in print while pundits cheerily declared that the rubber-faced comic’s career had gone down the commode.
So there’s probably not much use in reviewing Carrey’s new comedy “Liar Liar,” is there? Well, contrary to popular belief, Carrey is alive and well and funny as ever.
As silver-tonged attorney Fletcher Reede, he’s in top form. When it comes to mangling the truth, Reede’s the man for the job, representing lowlifes with charm, finesse and an incomparable talent for fibbing.
His gift for insincerity plays great at the office, but when it comes to maintaining a relationship with his son Max (Justin Cooper) and his ex-wife Audrey (“NewsRadio’s” Maura Tierney), Reede’s broken promises wear thin quickly.
When Maura’s too-nice-to-be-true boyfriend Jerry (Cary Elwes) wants her and Max to move to Boston with him, the pressure is even higher for Fletcher to clean up his act. But that’s just the beginning of his problems.
Disappointed by his father’s failure to show up at his birthday, Justin wishes that for a least one day, his dad would have to tell the truth. When the wish comes true, Fletcher finds that his inexplicable newfound honest streak wreaks havoc with his career, particularly when he is forced to represent an adulterous divorcee.
Carrey fans who flock to theaters to giggle at his outrageous physical finesse will certainly not be disappointed, but the comic also reveals a deeper, more gentle side here. His manic interaction with his son makes for some charming moments, and the moment when he realizes that he is a bad father is as believable as it is sobering.
Tierney brings a natural real-life touch to her role as Fletcher’s long-suffering ex-spouse - the same quality that makes her “NewsRadio” character so appealing. Cooper is cute without being cloying as the wishful son. Elwes is almost unrecognizable as a Mr. Rogers-like suitor, and bit players Amanda Donohoe (as Fletcher’s vampish boss) and Jennifer Tilly (as his cheating client) manage to hold their own amid his outrageous antics.
MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: “Liar Liar” Locations: Lincoln Heights, Newport, Post Falls Cinema Six and Showboat Credits: Directed by Tom Shadyac, starring Jim Carrey, Maura Tierney, Jennifer Tilly, Swoosie Kurtz, Amanda Donohoe and Cary Elwes Running time: 1:27 Rating: PG-13