Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- sardonic
- melancholic
- light date night
- comedy night
What critics said
Critics found the premise sly and occasionally radical, with amiable humor and strong comic ideas undermined by schematic execution and familiar romantic comedy conventions.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The world begins with universal literal honesty, making Mark's first lie a transformative rupture in everyday communication.
Mark's improvised description of Heaven is overheard and treated as revealed spiritual truth, turning personal invention into public faith.
Mark's ability to lie brings professional wealth, social influence, and romantic opportunity while forcing him to confront the consequences of deception.
The extraordinary consequences of lying unfold through everyday banks, offices, homes, and hospital spaces rather than spectacular fantasy environments.
Films like The Invention of Lying, and why
Stranger than Fiction
Shares a high-concept premise, romantic comedy structure, and playful examination of social behavior through an altered reality.
About Time
Combines speculative fantasy with romance, accessible philosophical questions, and a protagonist whose unusual ability reshapes ordinary life.
Bruce Almighty
Uses an exaggerated social premise for witty satire while pairing ethical questions with a conventional romantic storyline.
Ghost Town
Features Ricky Gervais-style awkward humor, social discomfort, and a flawed protagonist seeking romantic and personal validation.
Movie Details
- Directors
- Ricky Gervais, Matthew Robinson
- Release Date
- 2009-10-02
- Runtime
- 100 min
- Rating
- 6.2 / 10 (2419)
Cast
- Ricky Gervais
- Jennifer Garner
- Louis C.K.
- Rob Lowe
- Jonah Hill
- Jeffrey Tambor
- Fionnula Flanagan
- Tina Fey
- Donna Sorbello
- Jason Bateman
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Howdy Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Invention of Lying about?
- A struggling screenwriter discovers that one lie can transform a truth-obsessed society, bringing fame, faith, and a complicated chance at love.
- What is The Invention of Lying like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Invention of Lying as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Invention of Lying violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Invention of Lying.
- What did critics think of The Invention of Lying?
- Critics found the premise sly and occasionally radical, with amiable humor and strong comic ideas undermined by schematic execution and familiar romantic comedy conventions.
- Which films are like The Invention of Lying?
- Films with a similar feel include Stranger than Fiction, About Time, Bruce Almighty, and Ghost Town.
- How long is The Invention of Lying?
- The Invention of Lying runs 100 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Invention of Lying?
- In United States, The Invention of Lying streams on Howdy Amazon Channel.
