I Love You Phillip Morris

Continuing my MIFF reviews, I saw this last week with a packed house at Greater Union. Firstly, it has to be said that it's a tragedy that this film's general release has been such a stifled process. The entertainment value of this picture, its expert construction and superb performances cannot be denied. Carrey turns in what is possibly his best performance in a decade. It's bizarre, the way that his signature antics actually enhance rather than diminish the dramatic aspects of this film, based loosely on real life events. In fact, for me, the movie trumps The Truman Show as Carrey's true coming of age as a performer of depth. Ewan McGregor is equally astonishing as Phillip Morris - you'd swear you were watching the kind of unique romantic chemistry between two actors that arrives very rarely in cinema, and virtually never between two A-listers playing gay lovers; but the love story is only a foundation for what emerges as a kinetic, superbly told comedy-drama about the real life exploits of con man and recidivist prison escapee Steven Jay Russell. Directors/writers Glenn Ficarra and John Requa expertly handle the tensions of comic and dramatic performance and also prove to have a masterly touch with the frenzied action sequences. Bit parts are cast beautifully. You can see the attention to detail and craft in this movie. It can only be assumed that the gay context of this film has cost it it's commercial potential in the eyes of distributors, because everything else about it spells box office success. Apparently, it will finally have a limited release in the US in October this year, with the potential of expansion. Without spoiling any of the twists of the film's detailed series of events, the film succeeds at beautifully hijacking audience expectation time and again. Just when you think you've got the film pinned for being predictable, suddenly it flips on you with a wry smile as if to say, "I knew what you were thinking". I'm not sure how close the producers stuck to the facts, but it scarcely matters. If 5% of this narrative is true, it would be amazing in itself. I would be happy if the film was complete fiction. It's a wonderful, assured comedy and deserves wide commercial exploitation.

I was very lucky to see a screening of this movie just recently, and I honestly though that this would be horrible. I loved Carrey in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Truman Show, and Dumb and Dumber, but that's really all about it. However, his latest film makes a mark on easily one of the best films of the decade. It's not the comedy itself that makes it memorable, it's the characters and the story that really makes this film a very enjoyable pleasure. Loved every minute of it, thoroughly entertaining, actually very funny, and very sincere at the same time. It has a lot of flaws and not much detail, but with the addition the story being true just really does make it a remarkable film in the movie industry, as well as in Jim Carrey and Evan's career. A truly deserving 4 stars.

When straight guys play gay guys, this can go either pretty well or pretty badly, this film being a prime example of the latter. If it goes well, you'll usually have actors who play their gay characters as in any other (not necessarily tragic) romantic involvement, which is what Gyllenhaal and Ledger did in 'Brokeback', and what Colin Firth did in 'A Single Man'. If it goes badly, the actors and/or the script rely heavily on common gay stereotypes, which is what Patrick Swayze did in 'To Wong Fu', and what Jim Carrey does here. That's all the more regrettable as the true Steven Russell story is indeed brilliant screen material, among other things dwelling on the reasons why family fathers, at a turning point of their lives, may question their sexual identity. What do the script and the abominable showman Carrey make out of this? He exclaims 'I wanna be a faggot! outlined on a stretcher after a car accident. His character quickly evolves into one of the most offensive Hollywood portrayals of gay men I've ever seen: while the extravagant, shallow con-man lifestyle Russell aka Carrey pursues in the film may be accurate for the story, I could have done very well without cliché remarks such as 'I discovered that being gay is terribly expensive'. This plays well into a certain public stance towards gays: we tolerate you as long as you behave according to our stereotypes, which films like this embrace. Typical for this are the ridiculously overplayed sex scenes, which seem to have caused a stir, even though there's a straight sex scene just as ridiculous to match, which should have shown that credibility isn't quite the issue here. To be fair, it's not all Carrey's fault: the script jumps from one perspective to the other and simply can't decide what this is supposed to turn into. A gay romance? A con-man story? A comedy? A dramedy? A biopic? McEwan seems just as confused about this as his hapless character; even though he is about the only good thing this drivel has to offer, his acting angle appears to be just as clueless as the viewer in regard to the plot. Or maybe I'm just being a drama queen, and Carrey's shenanigans are just the harmless silly fun they've always been. Yet it's hard to be objective about a film that mocks a significant part of your life.

Saw this at Sundance and was very pleased and satisfied to have had the opportunity to view it for it was sold out. This is definitely a detour for Carrey whom is mostly known for doing commercial fare. It is refreshing to see big stars indulge in what would usually be performed by actors without the A grade stature. What really impressed me were the very explicit and heavy sex scenes and romantic moments between Mac Gregor and Carrey. They felt real and tender. I know this film was going to cause waves because even though I watch independents all the time I as surprise to see two A list actors go at it sexually the way both these actors do in "Phillip Morris". I hope this film is taken as an example for other A listers to follow in creating other really original and daring works. Specially applaud Europa, Luc Besson's film company for putting together such and abrasive and risky subject matter.

Just when I thought Jim Carrey couldn't surprise me anymore, even if he tried...bang! "I Love You Phillip Morris" Here Jim Carrey creates the most complex and complete character of his career. A bisexual co-man of all things. An amoral guy who finds love and when I say "finds" we see him finding it. The romantic entanglement of Carrey and McGregor is a real first because we, even the ones who don't quite get the same sex thing, gets it. I saw the love between this two men and I believed it. "Brokeback Mountain" was easier to believe because the tragedy filled with deceit and self loathing fit perfectly with what I, and many others I suspect, believe that kind of union may involve. Here I saw romance in Ewan McGregor's eyes. His disbelief that somebody loves him is out of "The Nights Of Cabiria" - I will certainly see this again.

I do not often write film reviews but every now and then something crops up that I find so offensive I have no choice but to let the entire world know about it. I was feeling generous on Friday night and decided to let the wife pick a film at our local multiplex. After watching the film it took us about ten minutes to leave the car park and twenty more to drive home. That wasn't long enough for my wife to finish apologising for her choice. She was genuinely embarrassed that she had subjected us both to a hundred minutes of such low level film-making. Despite being a hater of Jim Carey's early comedy(!) I had some hope that 'Eternal Sunshine...'had been a turning point and his coffers were now full enough to take on worthwhile scripts with decent direction. How wrong I was, this film makes an Ace Ventura double bill look intellectual. The only interest created by the film is whether Ewan 'sell-out' McGregor's biggest failing was his hideously over-camp gay stereotype or the constantly varying southern states / Welsh accent. I have seen bad films before but I can never remember being so completely and utterly let down by one. As people walked out of the screen it must have looked like a scene from 'invasion of the body snatchers'. The twenty or so of us who had stuck-it until the bitter end looked completely vacant, dumbfounded by the sheer lack of quality on show. I plead with anyone who considers seeing this film not to do so. If you really want to subject yourself to this piece of cinematic trash just wait until its £1 at Tesco next month. At least then you'll be able to get a refund. But be warned, those two hours of your life will have been wasted forever.

I Love You Philip Morris is a film that has a clear sense of warmth and is supported by superb performances. In terms of narrative, it is a romp, but one that takes some surprising (if not dark) turns. The film is not lightweight and tells the story of an inveterate conman. However, the love story, that between Steven Russell (Jim Carrey) and Philip Morris (Ewan McGregor), is touching, passionate and totally convincing. But while Carrey does (inevitably, one should suppose) teeter on the manic in places, it is McGregor who is the film's real revelation.With his blond hair and softly-spoken Southern American accent, McGregor easily gives one of the best performances I have seen him offer and represents a highly credible source of Russell's desire. The romantic and sexual relationship between the two central characters is not glossed over, and the film is all the better for it. Ultimately, I Love You Philip Morris ranks as a fine piece of drama that also works as a comedy, albeit it a bittersweet one. All in all, if you haven't seen it, then see it!

Truthfully, I had high hopes for this film. I really did. I got to see it with a large audience and there are some great moments in it but it doesn't add up. I think the actors were really good but I expected more. The idea alone seems so risqué I think they could have done more with it. Instead they seemed to have taken the low road. I'm not sure if it was the script or the directing, but it didn't really make me feel much of anything. Other films I saw at Sundance caused me to think, to cry, to laugh, to be furious but this one left me blank. On a great note I did love the actors and respect them for charting dangerous waters. They are commendable performances by two of my favorite actors.

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