Liar Liar (1997)

A fast-track lawyer can't lie for 24 hours due to his son's birthday wish after he disappoints his son for the last time.

Director:

Tom Shadyac

Writers:

Paul Guay, Stephen Mazur

Stars:

Jim Carrey, Maura Tierney, Amanda Donohoe

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 4 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jim Carrey	...	Fletcher Reede
Maura Tierney	...	Audrey Reede
Justin Cooper	...	Max Reede
Cary Elwes	...	Jerry
Anne Haney	...	Greta
Jennifer Tilly	...	Samantha Cole
Amanda Donohoe	...	Miranda
Jason Bernard	...	Judge Marshall Stevens
Swoosie Kurtz	...	Dana Appleton
Mitchell Ryan	...	Mr. Allan
Christopher Mayer	...	Kenneth Falk (as Chip Mayer)
Eric Pierpoint	...	Richard Cole
Randall 'Tex' Cobb	...	Skull
Cheri Oteri	...	Jane
SW Fisher	...	Pete

Storyline

Fletcher Reede, a fast talking attorney, habitual liar, and divorced father is an incredibly successful lawyer who has built his career by lying. He has a habit of giving precedence to his job and always breaking promises to be with his young son Max, but Fletcher lets Max down once too often, for missing his own son's birthday party. But until then at 8:15 Max has decided to make an honest man out of him as he wishes for one whole day his dad couldn't tell a lie. When the wish comes true all Fletcher can do is tell the truth and cannot tell one lie. Uh-oh for Fletcher Reede.

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Plot Keywords:

birthday wish | obscene finger gesture | female stockinged feet | pantyhose | workaholic | 

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Taglines:

Coming soon. Honest.

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Genres:

Comedy | Fantasy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sex related humor and language

Did You Know?

Trivia

Included among the American Film Institute's 2000 list of the 500 movies nominated for the Top 100 Funniest American Movies.

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Goofs

Fletcher's secretary recounts the apocryphal tale of a burglar falling through his victim's roof, injuring himself and successfully suing the homeowner. This is legally impossible.

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Quotes

Publicist: Mr. Reede, do you have a moment?
Fletcher: I'm sorry, I'm very late. It's my day to be with my son.
Publicist: A couple of reporters want to talk to you about your big win today.
Fletcher: Oh, yeah? How's my hair?

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Crazy Credits

Outtakes are shown during the credits.

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Alternate Versions

Randall 'Tex' Cobb's role (as "Skull) was considerably shortened prior to release. Originally filmed was a courtroom prologue where Fletcher successfully defends Skull using his usual, less-than-truthful tactics. Also filmed was a sequence in the jail where Fletcher meets Skull again in jail. The courtroom prologue was dropped entirely, but remnants of it still remain in the original theatrical trailers. The jail-cell scene was shortened, so much so that Cobb only has one line in the entire film, despite a prominent billing. The prologue is featured in the 'deleted scenes' section of the Special Edition DVD release.

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Connections

Featured in Cinematic Excrement: A Thousand Words (2014)

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Soundtracks

Mighty Mouse Theme (Here I Come To Save The Day)
(uncredited)
Written by Marshall Barer & Philip A. Scheib
Performed by Jim Carrey

User Reviews

Cute message movie with Jim Carrey

Liar Liar is one solution to the problem of what kind of movie vehicle to write for overacting, rubber man Jim Carrey. Following the success of Ace Ventura, director Tom Shaydac casts Carrey as a divorced lawyer who has no time for his young son. In the film, the word liar is a pun on lawyer, equating the two words since his character is a lying lawyer. Every time he promises to attend one of his son's school events or play with him, Carrey finds some excuse to get out of it. His son makes a birthday wish that just for one day his dad would tell the truth and it happens. Carrey is incapable of lying and when he tries to lie, his face and body go into every contortion imaginable as he tries to suppress the truth. There is a literally "off the wall" scene where he beats himself up in a bathroom. Carrey is a likable guy and carries the movie. Of course, you can't believe for a second that he's a lawyer but belief is not needed in this film. This is a movie with a message that fathers shouldn't ignore their children. For a film aimed at kids, there is a surprising amount of boob and sexual humor. Maura Tierney is very cute as his ex-wife. Amanda Donohoe plays Carrey's seductress law partner and Jennifer Tilly is a buxom, bimbo client. Director Tom Shadyac later worked with Carrey in Bruce Almighty. Liar Liar is for Jim Carrey fans and fathers who ignore their kids.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 March 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Liar Liar

Filming Locations:

1004 Highland Street, South Pasadena, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$45,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$31,423,025, 23 March 1997

Gross USA:

$181,410,615

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$302,710,615

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

DTS-Stereo DTS Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1