I love You Philip Morris is based on the true life story of con man and escape artist Steve Russell. The fact that everything seen in the movie really happens add to the films comedic elements. Jim Carrey, in the best role he has had in years is Steve Russell. A man who lives multiple lives, most of them illegal.
After the law catches up with him and he is incarcerated he meets Philip Morris (Ewan McGregor) and falls in love. He devotes the rest of his life to keeping himself and Philip out of jail, no matter how many times he has to escape to do it.
Jim Carrey, like Robin Williams makes two kinds of movies. The kind where their usual shtick breaks the boundaries of the character they are playing, such as How The Grinch Stole Christmas, and the kind where their comedic talents are carefully reigned in and used to perfection in such films as The Truman Show and Liar, Liar. In I Love You Philip Morris Carrey demonstrates the comic genius that has made him successful all these years. He never goes over the top in this charismatic performance. And Ewan McGregor is heart breakingly sweet as the gentle soul who captures Philips heart.
The movie feels like a Coen Brothers film after Joel and Ethan ate some funny mushrooms. It's offbeat, yet extremely funny. When you add in the fact that the real Steven Jay Russell really did all the things in the film (and more) you can't help but laugh at the films audacity.
Here is a movie about a flamboyant con man and habitual liar who seems to have no moral center what so ever, yet somehow you can't help rooting for him to get out of prison one more time.
At the Movie House rating *** stars.
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