Thursday, March 29, 2007

Big Fat Liar (2002)

A lot of people will read this blog and say, “A Frankie Muniz movie? I wouldn’t be caught dead watching a Frankie Muniz movie!”

Well, get over yourself.

Big Fat Liar may star Muniz, but it’s a much better movie that you would be led to believe given the knee-jerk assumptions you are making. And that includes the performance of its star.

Big Fat Liar tells the story of a young man who has cried wolf too many times in order to get out of doing his homework, his chores and anything else he doesn’t feel like doing. Naturally, when something bad really does happen to him – like leaving his class assignment in the back seat of the limousine of a big talent agent who is driving him to school (after first sideswiping him and wrecking his bike) – nobody believes him.

What follows is every kids revenge fantasy as Muniz enlists the help of his cute classmate, played by Amanda Bynes, to not only get back the assignment but get the agent -- a wonderfully over-the-top Paul Giamatti – to admit that the big summer blockbuster he’s making is based on the assignment he ‘found’ in the back of his limo.

Sure, it’s kid’s stuff, particularly the pop music montages that director Shawn Levy depends on way too much, but it’s still fun to watch, especially Giamatti's raving performance as the agent. Muniz, who was only 16 when he made the movie, does a fine job playing the straight man of the piece, and Bynes is, as always, adorable.

Give it a chance.

Starring Frankie Muniz, Amanda Bynes, Paul Giamatti.
IMDB Site.

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