Original concept and very funny, but Gervais must give us something new for his Hollywood career to flourish!
The premise is silly and ridiculous, but an oasis for amusement. A world where everybody tells the truth, it's just never come up that one should want to or think of telling anything but the truth. Cue a string of gags involving personal and cutting insults that Gervais' breed of comedy is akin to.
Jennifer Garner is great as the shallow, ditsy love interest that ultimately realises that a 'genetic match' is not the pinnacle of a life long loving relationship. Rob Lowe is superb as the equally shallow - but horrible, arrogant and successful nemesis to Gervais' usual glum, depressive and loveable loser character.
If you like Gervais 'brand' then you will definitely get a lot of laughs and will leave the cinema with a smile. If you think Gervais is a one-trick pony, then you won't really be seeing anything new here. Many lines have been used in his sit com 'Extras', and the mean spirit of the insults used by his characters are nothing new at all.
This is Gervais' directorial debut, with which he does a fine job and is clear he imagines each scene as he is writing it with meticulous detail. The film has a nice flow and passes the duration pleasantly.
I did enjoy this film a lot, and the laughs were thick and fast throughout. Short Fat Brian made me feel guilty about laughing, but that's an example of what the 'chubby little loser', Gervais does so well. Guilty uncomfortable laughing.
I hope he's got more up his sleeve as I don't think Hollywood would allow him another without some drastically new material.
Look out for Merchant and Barry from Eastenders!
