Laikals The greatest movie ever made..!

Platicsco Good story, Not enough for a whole film

StyleSk8r At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Zandra The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Charlotte8171 One word: AMAZING. A tear jerking film that was totally worth watching, I saw it once but wasn't watching it seriously so I had to watch it again (cried both times though!). I thought it was weird at first seeing Jim Carrey play a gay man with Ewan McGregor but you come to realise that the film is just about pure love, persistence, and connection between two people. This is the first film I've seen where it actually made sense and worked SO WELL it kind of surprised me how into it I got. I could genuinely understand their relationship in a very weird but wonderful way. The intelligence and wit of Jim's very complex but pure at heart character is truly something to behold, conning his way through jobs in amazingly crafty ways along with the very soft, quiet, and lovable character Ewan plays is crafted in a way that I can't put into words; it just worked so well. Although the two characters are polar opposites, they work so harmoniously together. If you want a film that isn't just your 'stereotypical hot gay gays' film and is funny, sad, and exciting then it is perfect; a must watch, I wish the film went on longer. Amazing as well to realise that this was actually based on real life. Perfect film.

moonspinner55 Jim Carrey plays real-life con-artist and closeted married man Steven Russell, who had incredible, indefatigable moxie when it came to cutting corners, telling lies and cheating the system--but who was also a crook with no street smarts, leading to numerous incarcerations. Peculiar adaptation of Steven McVicker's book--a dramatized true story penned by the film's two directors, Glenn Ficarra and John Requa--is well-acted by Carrey and Ewan McGregor, but is often agonizing to sit through (Russell's flamboyant but not-thought-through cons are mounted with the kind of precise awkwardness that makes one cringe). Russell makes a heartfelt deathbed promise to his lover that he will take care of his next partner without the artifice, and fails to do so. Is this irony? The film begins as high comedy (pitched too high, perhaps) before working in a more serious undercurrent, which the filmmakers then undercut with more wild behavior (some of it too silly, as with the tag). Carrey has lost his boyish appeal and now appears gaunt, emaciated (even when his character is supposed to be healthy and prosperous). The actor is so ghostly, it takes a while to believe in the love relationship he forges with McGregor's trusting Phillip Morris (who was jailed for "keeping a rental car too long"). The picture does work on occasion, and there are magnificent moments that mix a raucous, crazy-quilt sort of comedy with genuine sweetness (as with the lovers' dance in jail to Johnny Mathis' "Chances Are"). If the movie fails as a whole, it may be due in part to the final sequence of events, which intentionally (but not amusingly) cheat the audience. Steven, in and out of jail before feigning illness, flashes back on a childhood memory and shares a teary phone-farewell with his partner, but these scenes are pointless. They've been designed to give Carrey a hearty moment or two as an actor, and yet the 'cute' twist has no payoff beyond a slap in the face. After investing one's time and interest in these characters, Russell isn't the only one who gets a cold slap. **1/2 from ****

SnoopyStyle Steven Russell (Jim Carrey) is a cop married to Debbie (Leslie Mann) with a milk and cookies family. He finds his birth mom but she rejects him. He feels like something's wrong. He packs up his family and moves to Texas. Oh! And he's gay. He's living a lie until a car accident. He comes out of the closet. Only his gay lifestyle is expensive and he becomes a con man. In prison, he falls for sweet Phillip Morris (Ewan McGregor).The problem for me is that I never liked Steven. Jim Carrey is giving a big performance. I wish I can fall for this character but I can't. The jokes fall flat for me. I would rather have this be a serious movie and let the craziness be funny on its own terms. I think that I would be willing to laugh at Steven if the movie sets a slightly different tone. The material is there for a black comedy. This is a near miss for me.

thesar-2 Yeah, they claim this to be a true story, but it's so bizarre, they might as well have told me Brazil was also backed by true events.I Love You Phillip Morris is called a breakaway for Jim Carrey. That part, is solidly untrue. He's turned from his goofy form multiple times: The Truman Show, The Number 23, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Majestic, etc, etc. I guess they're referring to: he's now, SHOCK in 2010!, playing a gay male, oh, no!Big deal. But what is a big deal is, if these were "true" characters, Carrey did NOT break away from his typical brand of slapstick. So, I'm lead to believe either the true Steven Russell (played by Carrey) is just like Jim Carrey or Jim Carrey put little effort into conforming to the true Russell. Either way, I doubt I will, or hope not, to see any award nominations this time around.Furthermore, McGregor is no stranger to playing gay or out of character. But, his character, Phillip Morris, is just as annoying to watch on screen as Phillip Seymour Hoffman's Capote. (Please note, I think Hoffman did a fantastic job at portraying Capote, but that didn't help me like the flamboyant character/real life subject anymore.)Russell is a former Christian and family man turned liar and a con-artist who literally can get away with anything, everything while fooling just about anyone, a la gay-Frank Abagnale Jr. from Catch Me if You Can – a thoroughly more enjoyable film. Granted both this movie and the Leonardo DiCaprio film take place way in the past where, I suppose, check kiting and credit card fraud was a bit (lot) easier, I still have a hard time believing Russell got away with a tenth of the scenarios/disguises. Perhaps if it did happen as they say, then it falls on the fault of Carrey's believability.Nevertheless, you simply have to believe he can become who he wants, working his way to the top of any firm and fool former prison inmate, Morris, into loving him. There's a little background on that prison time, and more on Russell's growing up.Deep southern and deeper flamboyant Morris will simply believe anything Russell says and does, or he's just blinded by love. And as the inevitable downward spiral web of lies Russell falls into, he does show a hint of true love for Russell. (Yep, I get the title of the film and 83 times he says it in the film, but you do have to look deeper than the words of the world's gayest liar.)This movie took a VERY long time coming to the U.S. (Long story, look it up) and was it worth the wait? Yes, and no. I wouldn't completely dismiss it, but it is very weird. And I'm not referring to the gay scenes. Been there, done that. It's just an abstract movie pretending to be and art-house classic.