|
|
The Movie:
Jim Carrey has demonstrated an impressive range during his career, from the wild comedy to the remarkable performance as Andy Kaufman in "Man On The Moon". "Liar, Liar" fell short of showing the comedian at his best, settling for a very safe comedy. Carrey stars as Fletcher Reede, a lawyer who cannot tell a lie for 24 hours after his son makes a birthday wish that he can not tell a lie.
The main element of the plot revolves around the drama of Fletcher's relationship with his son (he frequently misses chances to spend time with him) and his ex-wife(played nicely by Maura Tierny of "Primary Colors"), who is moving away with a new boyfriend. Carrey tries to be emotional during these scenes; he's done a better job with more serious pictures like "Truman Show" and "Man On The Moon". Where the movie really works is the few moments that Carrey is really allowed to let loose, such a boardroom scene or occasionally in the courtroom, where he represents an annoying wife played by Jennifer Tilly.
Carrey offers an entertaining performance as a fast talking lawyer, but the film really doesn't gather any momentum, and the ending seems to get a little drawn out.
The DVD
VIDEO: Both the DTS and Dolby Digital versions unfortunately only offer a full-frame edition of the film. While it's really not a bad presentation, it could stand for some improvements in a couple of areas. Images are adequately sharp, and vary a little bit here and there, with some scenes looking slightly better than others. Detail is good, and colors are very pleasing, with warm tones and no instances of bleeding or any other problems. Flesh tones are also pleasant, looking natural and accurate.
A little bit of shimmering and a mark or two on the print used are the only source of problems on an otherwise enjoyable and watchable image. Sharpness could be a little stronger, though. The Collector's Edition release offers a 1.85:1 anamorphic transfer.
SOUND: "Liar, Liar" really is a very minimal film in terms of audio, for both the Dolby Digital and the DTS versions. The film is simply dialogue-driven, with very minimal use of the surrounds. The musical score is pleasing and warm, with the DTS version sounding slightly richer. Dialogue is clear and easily understood, but the soundtrack really is not very remarkable.
MENUS:: As usual with early DTS titles, menu art is basic and choices offered are limited.
EXTRAS: As with many of the early DTS releases, there are no extras on this release. The collector's edition offers commentary, a featurette and more.
Film Grade
The Film C+
DVD Grades
Video: 84/B
Audio 84/B
Extras 0/F
Menus 65/D
Value 80/B-
|
