Saturday, March 12, 2011

I Love You Phillip Morris: Movie Review




Unabashedly hilarious, wildly inventive and real.
Steven (Jim Carrey) wants to be the best person he can be. But then petty things like morality and understanding the differences between right and wrong would get in the way. And then frequently land him in the hospital and jail. He also said the he wanted to be the best person he could be back when he was an upstanding Christian citizen who loved his wife and daughter. Sometimes he would forget that he was a homosexual. Or at least forget to tell us.2009

Directed by: Glenn Ficarra and John Requa

Screenplay by: John Requa and Glenn Ficarra
Based on the book by Steven McVicker

Starring: Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor

Rodrigo Santoro and Jim Carrey star in I LOVE YOU PHILLIP MORRIS,
an Alliance Films release.
The brilliant narrative journey that this film takes us on is with the confusion but also earnest passion that Steven has when attempting to find himself. But this is no conventional finding one's self story. Steven's passion is also for Phillip Morris (Ewan McGregor), a sweet, blonde-haired, blue-eyed gay boy who is lost in prison.

Steven's in love, and he wants to help Phillip out because he knows all the ins and outs of the law. Or at least he can pretend he does. He does know all the ins and outs of prison life—you can get whatever you want by performing a certain homosexual act. The film doesn't shy away from the homosexual lifestyle, but nothing is really overtly shown on the screen.

Jim Carrey stars in I LOVE YOU PHILLIP MORRIS,
an Alliance Films release.
"I Love You Phillip Morris" is just a love story, but a love story with an unreliable narrator and more cons than you can even keep track of. It's also a love story with disorientation because if one partner doesn't know who he is, how can the other one? And how can we? And that's what I loved about it. I was trying to guess the next twists just as I was emotionally-moved and completely entertained. It was unabashedly hilarious, wildly inventive, but also genuinely dramatic and meaningful. Oh, and it's a true story! I love you too, Phillip Morris.
Best of 2011




Recommended:

Carnage (2011) - The carnage left over after a verbal battle of wits.

$5 a Day (2008) - Very funny father and son road trip with cons and meaningful connections.

Blue Valentine (2010) - Originality shining through in the construction and collapse of a relationship.

Milk (2008) - The powerful true story of gay activist Harvey Milk.