Big Fat Liar film review

certificate_PG

BIG FAT LIAR

Fourteen-year-old Jason Shepherd (Frankie Muniz) is one of the best liars in his neighbourhood - he's a notorious fibber, able to concoct elaborate tall tales to explain why his homework is late, or why he missed class. His teachers and fellow pupils take everything he says with a pinch of salt, and his parents (Michael Bryan French, Christine Tucci) virtually ignore him.

By chance, Jason is involved in a road accident with devious Hollywood film producer Marty Wolf (Paul Giamatti), who gets his grubby paws on one of the boy's short stories, entitled "Big Fat Liar". Marty likes the far-fetched idea so much, he turns it into a big budget blockbuster, and claims the concept as his own. When Jason sees the film's trailer, he immediately recognises the set-up as his own creation.

Of course, his family and friends thinks the lad is telling another one of his porky pies. So Jason flies out to Hollywood with best pal Kaylee (Amanda Bynes) to ask Marty for the credit he deserves. Alas, the producer burns any evidence of the original story, and refuses to acknowledge Jason's vital role in the film's creation. Determined to prove that he is telling the truth, Jason launches a campaign of terror against Marty, to expose him as a thief and a cheat.

Big Fat Liar is amiable entertainment for the whole family, with plenty of slapsticks and laughs as Jason exacts his revenge. This involves lots of joke shop pranks, including tipping blue dye into Marty's swimming pool, leaving superglue on his mobile phone ear-piece, and having his car towed.

The film requires a Herculean suspension of disbelief - would two teenagers really be able to set up a base of operations at a major Hollywood studio, and acquire high tech equipment for free for their hare-brained scheme? - but if you're willing to go along with the premise, there is fun to be had.

Muniz (who stars in TV's Malcolm In The Middle) is a likeable pint-sized hero, and Bynes is a comic whirlwind, scene-stealing whenever possible with her repertoire of wacky impersonations. Giamatti delivers the perfect comic book villain, who you could happily boo for the entire 90 minutes. And there's delightful cameo from Lee Majors (The Six Million Dollar Man and The Fall Guy) as a stuntman who takes exception to Marty, when he refuses to let him leave early for his son's birthday party.

Big Fat Liar is an inoffensive and energetic little romp. No word of a lie.