THE MOVIE PAGES in association with impact internet services presents BIG FAT LIAR bfl.htm

Insight With a bit of luck "Big Fat Liar" will hit the screens down under just in time for the school holiday period, giving it an opportunity to perform well at the box office. "Big Fat Liar" is a terrific opportunity for some really good family viewing. The story line is good, the cast are fabulous [including a bit of nostalgia for mums, dads and all "baby boomers" to get a glimpse of the "Six Million Dollar Man" who appears as Vince] and the film moves along at a pretty hectic pace, but rest assured that it is easy to follow and will definately keep the kids entertained. The moral theme running throughout "Big Fat Liar" is dual purposed. First up it shows youngsters the importance of always being truthful and that while it may appear to be smart or clever to lie, in the end you will get caught out. The second is that being a "bullie" is not all that smart either and how important it is to overcome personal fear and to confront bullies [although not to the same extremes as Jason and Kaylee have to in "Big Fat Liar"]. Kids will recognize "Malcolm in the MIddle" star Frankie Muniz who is teamed up with fresh faced Amanda Bynes and they work extremely well together. So well, you could be fooled into thinking they are seasoned big screen verterans already. The cheeky boyish charms of Muniz's character Jason is balanced and kept in check by that of Bynes's character Kaylee who is a mixture of vivacious young girl and the enthusiastic "tom boy". It works like a charm thanks to the talents of Paul Giamatti as the down right rotten, sneeky, bullying Marty Wolf. Giamatti's enthusiastic tackling of the bad boy role is reminisant of the dastadly Terry Thomas. Just as wicked and just as funny. So what ever you do, don't miss "Big Fat Liar" and the opportunity to enjoy a great family outing. The Story

Jason Shepherd [Frankie Muniz] is a rotten little liar. Never to be trusted, you can never know if he's telling the truth or if what he's saying is just another big fat lie. When he arrives late for school and is locked out Jason is forced to sneak into class through a window while his teacher is preoccupied at the blackboard. Sprung he resorts to lying. He's been at the hospital all night, sitting at his fathers bedside after saving dad from choking on a meatball. The teacher is not so sure. But Jason gives her his dads mobile phone number. Trouble is it is really Jason's and he's got friend Kaylee on the other other end of the call posing as a hospital employee. Seems Jason is off the hook, but teacher isn't that stupid, she's checked again and Jason is sprung. For his punishment he must write, by hand an essay and deliver it before six o'clock or he is booked into the dreaded summer school. Jason decides he will write a story on the subject he knows best, lying, calling it "Big Fat Liar". But its all going downhill for our little liar. Especially when he leaves the story in the limo of hollywood producer Marty Wolf who steals the story for his next film. Now Jason is really in strife. Stuck at summer school, his story has been stolen and no-one believes him. He really is a "Big Fat Liar". Now he is determined to reveal the truth and show everyone that he wasn't lying. With the help of Kaylee [Amanda Bynes] he's off to Hollywood to sort things out with Marty Wolf and the results are absolutely hilarious.

The Verdict "This is a terrific opportunity for all the family to see a really funny and clever film. "Big Fat Liar" is fresh, the characters are just so much fun and the antics they get up to will ensure everyone has a real good laugh. "Big Fat Liar" is good clean fun while Muniz, Bynes and Giamattiare so cool. Definately lots of fun for all the family."

What The Critics Say

"It's no lie -- Big Fat Liar is a real charmer."
Steve Rhodes STEVE RHODES' INTERNET REVIEWS
"Confounds expectations and turns out to be one of the happiest surprises so far this year...coasts along on a wave of good, clean fun."
Frank Swietek ONE GUY'S OPINION
"An infinitely wittier version of the Home Alone formula."
Brian Webster APOLLO GUIDE
"In gleefully, thumpingly hyperbolic terms, it covers just about every cliche in the compendium about crass, jaded movie types and the phony baloney movie biz."
Susan Stark DETROIT NEWS
"Big Fat Liar is for Big Kids. And little kids. Kids of all ages. In fact, it's quite a blast. A fun spoof on Hollywood and the film producer, Big Fat Liar is a cool, good natured romp that revs up like a hot racing car."
Louise Keller URBAN CINEFILE
"It's more enjoyable than I expected, though, and that's because the laughs come from fairly basic comedic constructs. Cinematic pratfalls given a working over. The cast is spot on and the mood is laid back. The only thing you have to invest is your time."
Andrew L. Urban URBAN CINEFILE
"Manages to be sweet and wickedly satisfying at the same time."
Michael O'Sullivan WASHINGTON POST
"A funny, slick and generally entertaining updating of that overly familiar fable long used to teach children to tell the truth."
Roger Moore ORLANDO SENTINEL
"Fresh-faced leads Muniz and Bynes are charmers, Giamatti makes Wolf into a splendidly loathsome adversary, and the film is refreshingly free of bodily function jokes."
Maitland McDonagh TV GUIDE'S MOVIE GUIDE
"Muniz and Giamatti are deft comic actors, but the highlight of this likeable family comedy is Bynes as Kaylee."
Nell Minow MOVIE MOM
"No earth-shattering accomplishment, but an unusually smart movie that the whole family can go to without a single person getting bored or talked down to."
Dustin Putman THEMOVIEBOY.COM
"I'd be the one lying if I said that Muniz and his inspired payback aren't sometimes funny."
John Monaghan DETROIT FREE PRESS

The Cast

Frankie Muniz
Paul Giamatti
Amanda Bynes
Amanda Detmer
Donald Adeosun Faison
Sandra Oh
Michael Bryan French
Russell Hornsby
Christine Tucci
Lee Majors
Sean O'Bryan
Amy Hill
John Cho
Matthew Frauman
Don Yesso

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Jason Shepherd
Marty Wolf
Kaylee
Monty Kirkham
Frank Jackson
Mrs Caldwell
Harry Shepherd
Marcus Dunacn Carol Shepherd
Vince
Leo
Jocelyn Davis
Dustin Wong
Lester Golub
Rocco Malone