The Invention of Lying is one of those films that no one bothered seeing in the theater, but when you mention it to people they remember it was funny. I don't know if people didn't think it was funny or got offended or what, but come on it's a movie. Maybe this is one of those times I think something British is hilarious and no one else in America gets it. Anyway, it takes place in an alternate reality where no one in the human race has ever lied. Since we never learned to lie, there's no religion, no fiction and everyone says exactly what they mean, which makes people jerks. Also, Gervais' opening voice over is pretty hilarious.
Also, movies suck and Coke ads have to be very literal with the slogan "Coke, It's Very Famous." Also my favorite slogan "Pepsi: For When They Don't Have Coke." Yup, that's true.
Mark, played by Gervais, who also write and directed along with Matthew Robinson, figures out how to lie in a moment of desperation. Since no one else can lie, he can pretty much say any ridiculous thing he wants. Wanting to comfort his dying mother, he accidentally invents religion and delivers ten rules for getting into the afterlife on the back of two pizza boxes. I love the whole "Man In The Sky" thing and when you watch this movie be sure to keep an eye out for the signs on places, such as a chapel that is signed "A Quiet Place To Think About The Man In The Sky." He's also in love with Anna adorably played by Jennifer Garner, who struggles to understand what it is she likes about Mark. There are small parts with Tina Fey, Jeffrey Tambor, Rob Lowe, Stephen Merchant, Jonah Hill, Jason Bateman and Louis CK. Oh, and the scene with Stephanie March is hilarious. Everybody should try to write a scene with Stephanie March in their movie, I put forth this and super whore as evidence. I like this movie, it seems a little radical and though I don't know for sure if we're trying to push Atheism here, I don't really care, it's a movie and it's funny. I do stand by the basic thesis here, which seems to be that we're better because we lie. Lying actually makes us better people if we don't go too far, take the scenes with the suicidal Jonah Hill.
Questions, comments on Coke or Atheism? Let me know in the comments section. Also, I feel like I was a little short on clips here and well, you know how I am. Ricky Gervais on Extras pretending to be on Doctor Who.
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