What would it be like in a world where nobody could ever tell a lie? This is the question that is answered to its fullest extent in the newest Ricky Gervais comedy The Invention of Lying. What at first was an original and fresh humorous piece falls flat quickly when the story continues. No matter how many cameos you squeeze in, no matter how quick your comedic timing is, stringing out one punchline for this hour and forty minute feature is its ultimate downfall.
Ricky Gervais plays Mark, an average man who’s completely down on his luck – whether getting the girl, holding onto his job or his apartment – until he tells: the world’s first lie. After he realizes the implications, he uses lying to his advantage in a totally truth-filled environment, with strange consequences. The film felt longer than it actually was with its poor pacing, making you feel like you’re in a two-and-a-half hour movie. The constant spew of truth seeping out of everyone’s mouths in this world becomes flat-out rude, to the point that whenever Mark tells a lie it’s a breath of fresh air.
Gervais has the skills to hold up any movie with his own style of acting, and this one is no exception. The lack of chemistry between his character Mark and Anna, played by Jennifer Garner, does not help him at all. Garner walks through the film like a de-tuned piano, one key hits after another and every one is off. Rob Lowe is one of the very few saving graces of the film, completely playing up the boorish competition who not only goes after Mark’s job but his girl too. The rest of the supporting cast is nothing special. The more entertaining parts consist of cameo appearances, and there are a few of them.
Gervais and Matthew Robinson work double duty on this film as scriptwriters and directors. Though they made an obvious effort of trying to just tell a simple story they decided to do it in what seems the most unimaginative way possible. The cinematography is not too special either, combining so-so production design with a recurring feeling of indecency going on in front or behind the camera.
At the end of the day what comes out of The Invention of Lying is a less-than-decent film that fails to fully strike as a competent comedy. What should possibly have stayed a single half-hour episode for some offbeat sitcom turns into a long and somewhat frustrating movie experience.
Rating: 
