March 27–April 3, 1997

movie shorts

Liar Liar

Jim Carrey Jim Carrey. All goony-faced and elastic-limbed contortions, he's pretty hilarious in Tom Shadyac's wimpy movie. Carrey's an ambitious, unscrupulous L.A. lawyer, all too willing to lie, cheat, and kiss ass (watch for Chris Darden's cameo at the beginning). His 5-year-old son (Justin Cooper), always disappointed that dad can't come through on promises, makes a birthday wish that he can't lie for one day. Carrey cuts loose. He makes faces, tells off bosses (e.g., "dickhead''), insults colleagues and clients, and, in a particularly unhinged scene in a men's room, kicks his own ass (he throws himself against walls, smashes his head with a toilet seat, punches himself repeatedly: the credits list a "massage therapist for Mr. Carrey,'' and this scene makes you wonder why he didn't have an entire medical crew on board). The physical hijinks are sensational, even if Carrey is deep into a love-me love-me routine (this movie seems a corrective for the interestingly ugly but relatively unsuccessful Cable Guy). All around the father-son center, women provide various contrasts to Carrey: Maura Tierney is the patient ex-wife, Anne Haney the resilient secretary, Amanda Donohoe the skanky senior partner, Jennifer Tilly the slutty client, and Swoosie Kurtz the stalwart opposing lawyer. The movie closes with Jackie Chan-style outtakes during the credits, showing that Carrey's depravity is, I suppose, for real.

— Cindy Fuchs

(AMC Andorra; AMC Orleans; UA Cheltenham; UA Grant; UA Main St.; UA Riverview; UA 69th St.)