The Invention of Lying

Starring: Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Garner, Jonah Hill
Directed by: Ricky Gervais (debut) and Matthew Robinson (debut)
Written by: Ricky Gervais (TV’s “Extras”) and Matthew Robinson (debut)

Ricky Gervais is a comedic genius. Even if you’re not a fan of the BBC comedy show “Extras,” take a look at last year’s highly underrated comedy “Ghost Town.”  Still, with his first attempt at writing and directing for the big screening, Gervais still has his work cut out for him. He does fairly well with “The Invention of Lying,” but seems to be grasping for straws for most of the runtime. In the film, Gervais plays Mark Bellison, a man who tells the world’s first lie and in turn becomes a sort of prophet for mankind. Overall, “Lying” is surprisingly controversial on the religious front, occasionally funny, and riddled with plot holes big enough to march an entire fleet of atheists through.