Charles Reichenthal
Ewan McGregor has one or two effective scenes in this film, but the film nevertheless is awful with Carrey giving perhaps his worst performance. The film doesn't know what it wants to be - even though it is allegedly based on a true story of a con man de luxe and his love affair. The opening scenes seem to indicate a move towards satire/farce and a typical Carrey characterization. But here he goes far far too far, and his acting stint is painful. The film then swerves back and forth from slapstick to melodrama and back to slapstick. It doesn't work at all. Both actors play gay characters - Carrey camps it all the way to high amperage while McGregor plays it simply and is able to get both laughs and sympathy. Was this film ever rally released??? If so, why??
dworldeater
I Love You Philip Morris is based on a true story of a real life con man Steven Russell. Playing Steve Russell is Jim Carrey in his best acting performance to date. This indie film is a very well structured drama/comedy that has strong storytelling, great acting and direction and large doses of black humor. The story starts as Steve Russell living a straight life as a cop with his wife and daughter. After an automobile accident he decides to come out of the closet and live his life as a gay man. He soon realizes that to maintain his lavish and flamboyant lifestyle require more than his honest job wage can suppliment. So, he orchestrates a series of scams that put him in prison. He then meets the love of his life, Philip Morris and as the romance escalates, so does the scams. Jim Carrey is brilliant in this role and Ewan Mc Gregor deserves a lot of credit as well. I have no idea how much of this story is truth or fiction, but it is a remarkable story. Overall the film is very smart, funny and well made. Great movie.
mirosan
When I was about to see this one I didn't know a thing about it so, for like the first time (almost ^^), I went "quasi" blank and with one bad review from a friend of mine. Got to say for moments I thought this movie was like a soap opera but in dominant homosexual environment. I was wrong! It was a con-movie with a very neutral way in relation of showing the life of a gay man. J. Carrey and E. McGregor were great. Ewan done a fantastic performance and Jim has done some incredible scenes showing some true and false flaws (I think) in the law system of Texas. Direction wise I must refer there was an awesome work playing around with the viewer (it had to be done to be a good con-film) in order to surprise almost always (to the end was predictable but I've been caught with it). Good film for the those who don't respect homosexuality
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.
