Liar Liar (4 Stars)

"My Dad's a liar. He wears a suit and goes to court and talks to the judge".

That might sound like a joke, but it's the most serious statement in the film. Five-year-old Max knows exactly what his Dad is. He doesn't need to be corrected. Lying is an integral part of a lawyer's job, especially if he's a defence lawyer. I've watched court cases in recent years. I watched the Jodi Arias murder trial online. I'm certain that Jodi's lawyers knew she was guilty, but they had to present arguments to prove her innocence. Ironically, that's required by the legal systems of most countries. Anyone accused of a crime has the right to the best possible defence. Lawyers are paid to lie. It's their job.

I've mentioned a few times that I didn't become a real film fan until 2003. I'd say that my film viewing has gone through four phases:

1. While I lived with my parents I watched random films on television.

2. After leaving my parents I had no television and only occasionally went to the cinema, so I rarely watched films. Beginning in 1997 I occasionally rented films on videotape, but not often.

3. In 2003 I bought my first DVD player, which kick-started my passion for films. I began to watch films daily at home, but only rarely visited the cinema to watch new films.

4. In 2013 I joined the Birmingham Film Club and began to go to the cinema about twice a week, while still watching films daily at home.

Phase 2 lasted 25 years, 1978 to 2003, which is why I have gaps in my film knowledge. Sometimes I'm talking to friends, film fans like me, and they're amazed when they mention a film that I've not watched or maybe haven't even heard of. It wasn't until 2003 that I started discovering the big films that were made from 1980 onwards, and I still haven't completely caught up.

Why am I writing that? It's because of Jim Carrey. He's been making films since the early 1980's. His first lead role was "All in good taste", made in 1983, a film I still haven't seen. In fact, I've seen very few of his early films, and I didn't watch "Liar Liar" until 2008, ten years after it was made.

Jim Carrey plays Fletcher Reede, a defence lawyer in Los Angeles. He's good at his job. He can help any crook be found innocent. But for Fletcher lying isn't just his career, it's a way of life. He lies to his colleagues, he lies to his ex-wife, and worst of all he lies to his son Max. On Max's fifth birthday he makes a wish: he wishes that his father won't tell lies for a whole day. Poof! Whichever magic fairy is responsible for answering children's wishes, it comes true. For 24 hours Fletcher has to tell the truth. This creates absolute chaos in his career.

His client on his truth day is Samantha Cole, played by the voluptuous Jennifer Tilly. Her millionaire husband is divorcing her because of her infidelity, and she wants half of his cash. Fletcher considers her to be a slut who doesn't deserve anything. Normally he would say the opposite in court, but this is his truth day.

This is a magnificent film, full of the zaniness that characterised Jim Carrey's early films. I really need to watch more of them.

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