Seen on: October 2, 2009

The players: Directors: Ricky Gervais, Matthew Robinson, Writers: Ricky Gervais, Matthew Robinson, Cast: Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Garner, Jonah Hill, Louis C.K.

Facts of interest: Gervais also starred in "Ghost Town."

The plot: In a world in which no one lies, Ricky Gervais plays a loser who discovers he has the ability to not tell the truth.

Our thoughts: Ricky Gervais returns to the big screen with “The Invention of Lying,” a thoroughly amusing little comedy set in a world in which lying does not exist. In this film, people tell the truth and nothing but the truth, and trust me, I don’t lie either when I say this is quite a funny big-screen experience.

Gervais jumps into the role of Mark Bellison, a lonely loser whose existence is quite miserable, to say the least. Then one day, everything changes when Mark suddenly discovers he has the ability to lie, and before he knows it, he finds himself using his new gift to do whatever he wants and get people to believe whatever he wants them to believe.

When it comes to comedy, Gervais knows exactly what he’s doing, and I always find great pleasure in watching him deliver light, enjoyable humor on the screen. “The Invention of Lying” is by no means the funniest film I’ve seen this year, but it boasts an original concept and charming story line that kept me interested from start to finish.

While the first part of the film offers us a hilarious introduction to the world in which the concept of a lie is nonexistent, the second part focuses on how Mark uses lying to his advantage. This obviously creates an interesting conflict, especially because Mark doesn’t realize at first how damaging lying can really be.

Meanwhile, Mark also struggles to win over Anna (Jennifer Garner), a lovely, yet insecure woman who doesn’t like Mark’s looks but eventually learns that true love comes straight from the heart. Garner and Gervais share great onscreen chemistry, and the love story is just as harmless and sweet as the rest in “The Invention of Lying.”

Garner is definitely as charming as ever in this film, and you cannot help but feel sorry for her character, who has real trouble processing everything Mark is trying to sell her. The great supporting cast includes Jonah Hill, Rob Lowe and Louis C.K., and a handful of hilarious cameos add yet another special touch to this good-natured tale.

Freaky quote: "The world is going to end unless we have sex right now." – Ricky Gervais

The final word: This is all I’m going to say about “The Invention of Lying,” because the last thing you want is walk into the film knowing what exactly Mark will be struggling with on his journey. Like I said above, I don’t lie when I say this is a simple, amusing comedy I recommend to everybody who enjoys Gervais’ work. He’s done it again!

Article by Franck Tabouring