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The Invention of Lying is a 2009 American romantic comedy fantasy film written and directed by comedian Ricky Gervais and writer Matthew Robinson in their directorial debuts. The film stars Gervais as the first human with the ability to lie in a world where people can only tell the truth.
Oct 2, 2009 · The Invention of Lying imagines a world where untruths are unknown and art is almost impossible. Until Ricky Gervais discovers both. Although white lies can be a blessing, critic Bob Mondello ...
- Bob Mondello
Oct 2, 2009 · A film review on Friday about the Ricky Gervais movie “The Invention of Lying” referred incorrectly to Oscar Wilde, whose reference to “dreary realism” was likened to Mr. Gervais’s view.
- Ricky Gervais, Matthew Robinson
- The Idea For The Movie Began as A Short Skit.
- Robinson Sent The Script to Gervais on A whim.
- Spike Jonze and Michel Gondry Were on A Shortlist of Directors.
- It’S Gervais’s Feature Film Directorial Debut.
- The Script Was on 2007’s Black List.
- Robinson Eventually Became A Podcaster.
- The Movie Includes A Sly Nod to Woody Allen.
- It’S Filled with A-List Cameos.
- The Original Opening Was Cut.
- Pizza Hut Didn’T Want to Be in The Movie.
Screenwriter Matt Robinson’s original idea for a feature film grew from a skit he wrote about two people on a date who don’t have the ability to lie. He later expanded on the idea for more skits with the same premise and then adapted them into a full film script.
Robinson and producer Lynda Obst sent Gervais the script out of the blue in the hopes that it would spark his interest. Gervais loved it and eventually flew Robinson to London to retool the script and make the movie.
Gervais and Robinson drew up a list of dream directors for the film, including Jonze (Adaptation, Being John Malkovich) and Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind). Ultimately, they decided to direct it themselves.
Gervais had previously directed episodes of the UK version of The Office and his show Extras before jumping to feature films with The Invention of Lying.
Matt Robinson’s screenplay, which was titled This Side of Truth at the time, was included in the year’s official list of the “most liked” un-produced scripts in Hollywood [PDF].
The Invention of Lying is Robinson’s only feature film directorial effort to date. He is now the co-host of a podcast called Get Up On This, wherein he and a co-host predict pop culture trends before they happen.
The movie’s credits feature white text in the Windsor font on a black background—a style used in nearly all of Allen’s films.
Philip Seymour Hoffman plays the bartender, Edward Norton plays the highway patrolman, Jason Bateman plays the doctor, and Christopher Guest plays one of the movie lecturers. Also, Stephen Merchant, the co-creator of The Office, plays the rich man at the door, and co-director Matt Robinson cameos as the TV interviewer and the nerdy guy in glasses i...
In the wordless sequence, narrated by Patrick Stewart, Mark’s caveman ancestor learns how to lie and then imagines what could have been if it had never happened.
The pizza chain initially tried to bar the filmmakers from including its logo on Mark’s new Ten Commandments, but the filmmakers were able to include it due to satire laws.
Sep 30, 2009 · “The Invention of Lying” isn’t strident, ideological or argumentative; it’s simply the story of a guy trying to comfort his mother and perhaps win the woman he loves. Gervais, who co-directed and co-wrote with Matthew Robinson , walks a delicate tightrope above hazardous chasms.
The Invention of Lying: Directed by Ricky Gervais, Matthew Robinson. With Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Garner, Jonah Hill, Louis C.K.. A comedy set in a world where no one has ever lied, until a writer seizes the opportunity for personal gain.
Sep 30, 2009 · The Science Behind The Invention of Lying: Hollywood Fact vs. Fiction. What if humans had never evolved the ability to lie? That's the premise posed by The Invention of Lying, the new movie...
