Distributed by
Pioneer LDCE

Cat.no: PLFEB 36931

Cert: 12

Running time: 82 minutes

Sides: 2 (CLV)

Year: 1997

Pressing: 1998

Chapters: 30 (16/9+5)

Sound: Dolby Surround

Widescreen: 1.85:1

Price: £24.99

Extras : Plenty - Featurette: "Bridging The Comedy Chasm", Original theatrical trailer, deleted scene, outtakes. Plus, trailers for Lost World: Jurassic Park and The Nutty Professor.

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Director:

Tom Shadyac (Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Nutty Professor)

Producer:

Brian Grazer

Screenplay:

Paul Guay and Stephen Mazur

Music:

John Debney

Cast:

Fletcher Reede: Jim Carrey (Batman Forever, Ace Ventura 1 and 2, The Mask, The Cable Guy, Dumb And Dumber)
Audrey Reede: Maura Tierney
Max Reede: Justin Cooper
Jerry: Carey Elwes (Robin Hood: Men In Tights, The Jungle Book, Twister)
Greta: Anne Haney
Samantha Cole: Jennifer Tilly (The Getaway (1994), Bound, The Fabulous Baker Boys, Made In America)
Miranda: Amanda Donohoe (Castaway, The Madness Of King George, "L.A. Law" (TV))
Judge Marshall Stevens: Jason Bernard
Dana Appleton: Swoosie Kurtz (And The Band Played On, Bright Lights Big City, Reality Bites)
Lady In Elevator: Krista Allen (Raven)

Liar Liar stars Jim Carrey as Fletcher Reede, a fast-talking attorney and habitual liar. When his son Max (Justin Cooper) blows out the candles on his fifth birthday cake, he has just one wish - that his dad would stop lying for 24 hours.

When Max's wish miraculously comes true, Fletcher discovers that his biggest asset - his mouth - has suddenly become his biggest liability ! Fletcher tries to keep his practise afloat and his ex-wife Audrey (Maura Tierney) from taking their son and moving to Boston with her new love Jerry (Cary Elwes).

That's not the only problem facing Fletcher though as he has his most important case today. He has to fight for Jennifer Tilly to get her children back, despite the fact that the pre-nuptial agreement she signed stated that she'll lose everything if she's unfaithful. Her 7 affairs may put paid to that unless Fletcher manages to lie again. If he fails though, he'll also miss out on becoming a partner in the business with Amanda Donohoe.

It doesn't take a genius to work out how this comedy ends, but there's an enormous amount of fun to be had along the way and it doesn't wallow in sentimental mush like you'd expect it to.

The basis of the film lies in its main performance from Jim Carrey as the lying lawyer. I was never really Carrey's biggest fan after Ace Ventura 1 but films like this and The Mask prove that some doses of his zany madness do work very well and as such he commands around $20 million per picture.

Maura Tierney is fine as his ex-wife, but there's not a great deal in the role for her, and given that she's a Jennifer Aniston-lookalike, one wonders if the role was written with her in mind. Justin Cooper makes for a cute kid, save for his bowl-head haircut, bringing out one of Carrey's best lines when, during the 24hrs of truth, he pulls his face and asks, "Will it get stuck like that ?", to which he replies very honestly, "No, and in fact some people make a good living that way.".

The cast is fleshed out with Carey Elwes as snooty Jerry; Anne Haney as Fletcher's secretary, and very similar-looking to the late Jessica Tandy; Jennifer Tilly as the voluptuous adulteress, Amanda Donohoe as the voluptuous partner, Swoosie Kurtz as the lawyer for the prosecution, Krista Allen as the lady in the elevator who keeps Fletcher in check during their one scene together, plus the late Jason Bernard as the court judge.

There's only one thing that annoys me a bit in this film which is when Carrey launches into a Tina Turner impression, and at its "singing" height the shot cuts to Amanda Donohoe for a reaction shot of her laughing unconvincingly, when an alternative shot of Jennifer Tilly looking bemused, which I saw on TV in a slightly-extended version of the featurette found here, worked much better. Minor quibbles aside though, not only is this a thoroughly enjoyable comedy, but it comes very well-packaged and presented. The picture is as crisp as can be, and the sound quality, while not full of surround-sound moments, plays very clear throughout with some comic sounds but mainly incidental music.

The film is also well-chaptered with 25 spread throughout the film, although track 17 is the one that begins side two and not track 18 as specified on the back cover. The extras are plenty - a featurette entitled Bridging The Comedy Chasm, the theatrical trailer, a deleted scene plus outtakes. Completing the disc are trailers for two recent Pioneer PAL releases Lost World: Jurassic Park and another Tom Shadyac film, The Nutty Professor.

This disc has one competition though, and that's from the NTSC release which at US$45 also contains a commentary track from the director plus AC-3 Dolby Digital Sound. However, for those buying on this side of the ocean, this disc is as good as it gets and comes well-recommended.

Film: 5/5
Picture: 5/5
Sound: 5/5

Review copyright © Dominic Robinson, 1998.