NMR: The Invention of Lying

Despite not being enamored with Ghost Town, Ricky Gervais' first attempt at an American film, I decided to give him another chance with his latest comedy that came out last fall. In general, this is a stronger effort. The premise here is that everyone tells the truth until Gervais' character becomes the first person to lie. This produces a very funny first half of the film whether we see everyone being brutally honest with each other. As the film progresses however, it falls into all too familiar romantic comedy territory as Gervais uses his new found knowledge to help him win over Jennifer Garner. The film also delves into some deep religious issues that produces some funny moments, but also annoyed me since I am religious and it's clear the film tries to make a mockery of it. I think there's enough funny material to make it worth a rental, but it's by no means a great film. Grade: B-