Did you find "The Invention of Lying" funny?

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Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oc79ho-PzeE

Funny movie? What did you think?

I want to see that movie?

I don't know, do you?

I thought it was more "clever" than funny. It was definitely funny in parts, for sure -- and I really like Ricky Gervais -- but I marveled at the whole concept of the movie. Very unusual, and well done. You'll probably enjoy it.

It is depressing to me that this film is at any point funny.
It is more depressing that most people (probably including myself) will just keep on lying and living their facade of a life.
I would like to see this film and see how the world would be - from a humorous perspective - if people did not lie, ever.
It would be glorious.

I just saw this movie-film last week, I really enjoyed it. Real top notch humour there, but also very unusual and creative.

I'm a big Ricky Gervais fan, but I find that his film choices - Lying, Ghostown, Museum etc - don't live up to what he can do. Lying is a brilliant concept but it doesn't live up to its potential. Whilst there are definitely moments that keep you glued, I never really cracked up, I was more justly mildly amused.

Has anyone else been watching The Ricky Gervais show? Now that's funny.

Ooooohhh chimpanzee that!

We started into it - much of what Ricky has dones is pretty good. But we could not take The Invention of Lying". I was [not to speak for my wife] bothered by the assumption that in a lie-free culture one would automatically blurt out everything [I am a heavy censor of my own speech], and the bit where the bank takes the clients word over the computer - even in the absence of deceit, the customer' can be mistaken at lest as easily as the computer.

But then it degenerated into hokey pseudocommentary.

We left.

I loved the movie, in fact it was probably my favorite movie of last year. Part of what loved was its daringness from a theological perspective. Here was a feature film funded by a major American studio and given mainstream release that espouses an explicitly atheistic (maybe even antitheistic) philosophy, which is no small risk...see the kerfuffle over The Golden Compass, which neutered 80% of the atheistic themes of the book and still got raked over the coals by religious factions in the US.

I do, as well, understand the complaint cited above and also my many reviewers that "inability to lie" does not equate with "blurt out everything you're thinking heedless of what offence or hurt it might cause" but I was willing to accept that for narrative and comedic purposes. To present such a world to any depth, and have it be funny to boot, a certain behavioural conflict had to be established.

mjs82 -- I agree with you that Ricky Gervais' movies don't seem to quite live up to what he is capable of. I've seen him interviewed (Jon Stewart's show) and thought he was absolutely hilarious!! ! Much funnier than in his movies. A week or so ago, I saw him on the new Jerry Seinfeld show (The Marriage Ref?) and laughed so hard I cried. Why can't he do that in movies?

Actually, I really enjoyed it (and Ghost Town too).

I couldn't bear the thought of watching it. I think that it would upset me. Lying is something I just don't understand. I am naturally a little bit gullible and I can't stand the thought of being taken advantage of because of it. I just wish that people would say what they mean in real life.

Was funny just because I'm used to being in a society where everyone bulls**ts each other

He's quite selective about what he does too which makes it even stranger. He has a new film that he wrote coming out soon called Cemetary Junction. The trailer didn't grab me, but it seems more like a coming of age story than a comedy so I'll reserve judgment.

Check out Ricky Gervais Meets... on youtube. The Garry Shandling one is so off the wall. He talks to Larry David too.

He has to be too main stream in his movies. Thats why they aren't as funny as The Office or his documentaries.

If you want to see him at his Athiest best look out for a DVD called animals. It's a stand up show where he basically spends the whole time taking the piss out of "God's creations".

> hokey pseudocommentary

On what? I didn't get that.

It was a simple story of a guy trying to be successful and get the girl -- in a strange world where people are incapable of dissimulation and persuasion and think they know what is true.

I found it funny the way it played with the idea of bluntness/politeness. Of course is very British to be polite rather than blunt, so coming from a 1/2 British family yet being somewhat a blunt speaker myself, I can really feel that part keenly. I like the way it played with the idea of received knowledge (everyone agrees marriage is about finding a genetic partner) including religion, and his kid-in-the-candystore experience of lying as well as his second thoughts about it at times. A fun little movie. Top notch for me, as it was imaginative and funny, unlike most comedies that are predictable and not that funny, for me.