Some thoughts on the trailer for Ricky Gervais in 'The Invention Of Lying'.


1. Its title, 'The Invention Of Lying' isn't great but I can see why studio execs chose it over the original name 'This Side Of The Truth', which doesn't mean a huge deal. As it is, the new title is very much in the vein of the story, which is about a world where no-one can lie and everything is matter-of-fact. So if you're going to make a film about the invention of lying, you might as well call it...er... 'The Invention Of Lying'.


2. It's Ricky doing his 'thing'. As in the little-bit-underrated 'Ghost Town' I think his 'thing' works rather beautifully up against big shiny Hollywood types with lovely teeth, like Jennifer Garner and Rob Lowe. They're all polished and fake, he's deadpan and real. Therefore, we like him.


3. Although some people may now be starting to tire of Ricky's 'thing'.


4. The trailer - as is their wont - is a bit brash and brassy but the film probably won't be. At the moment it feels like a Jim Carrey trailer but with Ricky co-writing and co-directing I can't believe the finished product will be. I think it will be less zany, more melancholy and slightly romantic. ALL OF WHICH IS GOOD.



5. This isn't the film that Ricky is currently making with Stephen Merchant. That's 'Cemetery Junction'.

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