BIG FAT LIAR
US, 2002, 88 minutes, Colour.
Frankie Muniz, Paul Giamatti, Amanda Bynes, Amanda Detmer, Donald Faison, Sandra Oh, Russell Hornsby, John Cho.
Directed by Shawn Levy.
Big Fat Liar is a comedy concoction for the family, a film to take advantage of the popularity of Frankie Muniz, star of the television show Malcolm in the Middle. He has a strong screen personality, seems to be enjoying all the adventures that he finds himself in. Paul Giamatti enjoys himself even more as the most crooked and exploitative of Hollywood producers. In fact, he steals Frankie's essay from school and builds it up into a film property. This means that Frankie goes to Hollywood along with his friend Kaylee, not supported by his anxious parents who think that he never tells the truth.
This is a shaggy dog story, with the hero as a big fat liar, as well as the producer being an even bigger and fatter liar. There are all kinds of chases, misunderstandings, double-deals. It is the junior version of such Hollywood films as the portrayal of producers in Swimming with Sharks (with Kevin Spacey as the unscrupulous producer). The film also shows Hollywood, the tourist attractions, the studios with Lee Majors doing a guest spot to remind audiences of their favourite television shows of the past.
Most of the comedy comes from the hero seeing a trailer for a film called Big Fat Liar based on his story. In Hollywood, the young man makes life a misery for the agent, he becomes the butt of all kinds of practical jokes, and the disgruntled staff whom he has alienated join in making life a misery. Eventually, of course, he has to admit his plagiarism. Life ends as a misery for the producer as the audience all hoped.
1. A film for a young audience? For parents?
2. The midwest setting, home, school, streets and activities? The comparison with Los Angeles, airport, limousine, Hollywood, officers, studios, the California countryside, mountains and desert? The musical score?
3. The title, Jason and his lies and stories, getting himself into trouble, his homework, writing the story, losing it, Marty Wolfe and his stealing it, the consequences, the final successful film?
4. Jason, his age, the opening and all the lies to his parents, the bullies and taking his skateboard, locked out of school, phoning Kaylee, getting in the window, the teacher’s reaction, not doing his homework, the sad story about his father and his choking, the vigil in hospital? The class and their attentive listening to his stories? His being found out, the teacher phoning his parents, their presence, the pleading not to go to summer school, time limit to finish his essay? His enthusiasm in writing Big That Liar?
5. His being hit by the limousine, the encounter with the driver, with Marty Wolfe, the lift, spilling his papers, losing the essay, his parents not believing him?
6. Marty Wolfe, the satire on the Hollywood producer, being objectionable to everybody, verbal abuse, humiliation, completely unpleasant? His reading the story, taking it as his own, on television, the interviews, the promise about the film, taking all the credit for himself?
7. Jason and Kaylee, class, her resistance but his always persuading her to help him? The window, the phone call and his pretending to be his father? Jason suffering summer school in the satire on the boring teacher? Asking her to go to Hollywood with him? The problem about her grandmother, the bully with the skateboard, his being persuaded to impersonate Kaylee, the comic sequences with the grandmother, the muscles, the exercises…?
8. At the airport, Frank and the limousine, Jason pretending to be the fur salesman? The later encounter with Frank, almost losing his job, his having been insulted by Marty Wolfe, his decision to help the two?
9. At the office, the secretary, not interested, the pretend phone call about her car parking on a dog? Jason and his getting into Marty’s office, Monty and her reaction? Marty trying to cover, Jason and the plea to ring his father, his burning the story? Getting the guards to oust Jason? Kaylee and her work at the desk?
10. On the set, the discovery of the room with all the goods, toys, settling there? The decision to get Frank to help them?
11. The president of the company, demanding Marty’s presence? The importance?
12. The various steps of the strategy, Jason and Kaylee and their success, Frank’s help, getting the help of everyone else, Monty at her exasperation with Marty, the stuntman and the presence of Lee Majors, the birthday party for his grandchild, the security guard, the associate producer – and all the scenes of Marty being rude to them? Jason being present at the party, the announcement about the film, Jason talking into his earpiece, glued to his ear, Marty pulling it out, the enormous peel and the appeal to people’s hearts?
The president relenting?
13. The comedy with Marty and his shower, blue after the swim in the pool, the orange hair? The wrong address for the meeting and his being beset by the children at the party? His ability to make good with the situation? Demanding the limousine, Frank and the breakdown of the car, his being picked up by the actor he insulted, the side road, being abandoned in the desert, calling for help, the helicopter with the stuntman, the fake emergency, leaping out of the helicopter?
14. The confrontation between Jason and Marty, on the roof, Marty boasting about stealing the story – and it being film from all the different angles? Jason leaping over the building? Marty stranded? Everybody leaving?
15. Marty and his having to become the clown for children’s parties – and the children on attacking him? The happy ending for Jason, his parents believing him, Kaylee and her help, everybody at the premiere of the film? And comeuppance for Marty?
