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I Love You Phillip Morris (2009)

Director: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa

Time Out rating

Average user rating

31 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

Policeman, husband, father, closeted gay man, out gay man, fraudster, prison escapee, fake lawyer, embezzler, prison escapee (again)… Georgia’s Steven Russell has led quite a life. He’s a subject ripe for documentary treatment, but it’s understandable why ‘Bad Santa’ writers Glenn Ficarra and John Requa have turned his wild CV into madcap comedy for their directing debut. Unleashing Jim Carrey makes a sort of sense, since his fast-talking energy might help us buy Russell’s credibility-defying exploits. Unfortunately, though, the bizarre true-life aspect gets swamped by Carrey’s ramped-up zeal, delivering a series of showpiece flourishes which dazzle at first but then prove wearing.

Still, you can’t accuse cast or filmmakers of lacking caution, since the treatment barrels through locations and chronology, and it’s eyebrow-raising to have Carrey and Ewan McGregor – as sweet-natured fellow jailbird Phillip Morris – playing frisky gay lovers. Such forthrightness definitely makes the movie culturally significant (and may explain why US distributors have been reluctant to handle it), yet for all that it never manages to match its robust humour with a convincing love story. Maybe we don’t quite buy Jim and Ewan’s hots for one another, maybe the writing makes Carrey’s character too much of a psychotic narcissist while rendering McGregor in terms of fluffy-bunny passivity, but either way it just ain’t happening. Loved the chutzpah, but the heart and the funny bone are left relatively untroubled.

Author: Trevor Johnston

Time Out London Issue 2065: 18-24 March, 2010

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User reviews of this film

perihawker said...

Posted on Dec 04 2010 13:49 the only film I loved Jim Carrey in. He was great in it

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loulou said...

Posted on Aug 16 2010 10:13 I am a Jim Carrey fan so I guess that helped. I laughed a lot! Great fun - totally not boring!

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Flaco said...

Posted on Jun 04 2010 16:03 Funny movie, I haven't seen Carrey this good in a while.

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offended said...

Posted on Apr 13 2010 21:46 i didnt say anybody had to agree with me..!!?? god i sed each to their own, its just a film.. chillout

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Father Leo said...

Posted on Apr 12 2010 10:45 Crap on stilts. Jim Carrey play this role like he plays every role; totally devoid of sincerity, meaning and purpose. To say he is miscast is the understatement of the century. Maybe he took the gig pro bono to get some movement back into his deservedly languishing career as a rubber faced, over acting hack, but whoever cast him for this needs shooting. The story as it exists has more than enough depth for a far greater exploratory of what happens when one's nature and the higher calling of love intersect, but no. Were served up this dog's breakfast. I nearly walked out on this fiasco of a film on several occasions and in the end, gave myself over to waiting for the denouement of this train wreck of offensiveness. The one bright glimmer in the fiesta of shit is Ewan McGregor's eponymous role. He adds yet another string to his bow, demonstrating a quite extraordinary range as a character actor.
Overall, an evening spent at home plucking lint from your naval will be vastly more satisfying than this bushpig of a production. Avoid like the plague that it is.

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Sutton said...

Posted on Apr 10 2010 12:12 Poor film. The trailer shows the best and funniest bits, wooden acting, save your cash.

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Ric said...

Posted on Apr 09 2010 13:01 I disagree with 'offended'.I mean this was based on a true story/facts.Who cares if your gay mates dont act that way,everyone is different.Would you go to prison for your 'lover',i think not?! Jim Carey is not my fav actor but him & Ewan Mcgregor played the roles fab.
Watchable-go see!

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Paul said...

Posted on Apr 06 2010 14:50 Kate, as I said before let's just talk about the film and not make it personal. Given your personal knowledge of this demographic, how representative and typical are the Carrey and McGregor characterisations? How did you assess them to be a five star performances, seems generous imho?

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Kate said...

Posted on Apr 05 2010 02:04 Paul, I am a fashion designer and my sister is an actor - the vast majority of men we know are gay and you have obviously not met any of them. Don't try to tell me what gay men are like!

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jo said...

Posted on Apr 03 2010 23:18 Well i loved it. A note for the first commenter. If you want to see Carey really 'act' watch Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

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offended.. said...

Posted on Apr 02 2010 19:28 i think that this film is pretty offensive to Gay people.. i have a lot of gay friends and i don't think that they act that way at all. i didn't enjoy it, but each to their own.. me and my boyfriend left before the end of the film

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biglovein said...

Posted on Mar 30 2010 21:54 who wrote the top film review?time out london you joke, who are you to slate these films? like to see you write,direct, star in a film! get of you high horse and do one.

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Paul said...

Posted on Mar 27 2010 16:34 If all else fails Kate, then finish with an ad hominem, yet despite that I agree with the thrust of your argument. My problem is that Hollywood seems insistent that gay parts are played by straight actors rather than on merit. In this film they're pushing every tired cliche and prejudice for a cheap laugh. My gay friends are nothing like Carrey or MacGregor, but I'll slap my thighs merrily and let you know Kate if they start mincing, buy a handbag dog or nervously chew their nails. Time to go and watch Milk, d'oh!

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Kate said...

Posted on Mar 26 2010 18:18 whoah, I just read Paul's review below. I really don't see how a heteresexual actor playing the role of a homosexual man is the modern equivalent of 'blackingup'. An actor's personal sexual life, sould have no bearing on their ablity to play a character as shown by the sheer number of homosexual actors playing heterosexual characters. It's about time to emerge from the cave, man!

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Kate said...

Posted on Mar 26 2010 18:13 I agree with Lauren, below. This film definitely isn't suited to the more slapstick-loving English cinema patron. I also felt that the casting was brilliant - it kept this wry comedy exactly where it should be instaed of wallowing aroundin the depths of an exploration of the romantic relationships of a brilliant and slightly deranged man. I thougt it was hilarious and give it the vot for the best film I've seen thi year.

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