There couldn't have been a more promising start for the original high-concept comedy The Invention of Lying. If I were friends with Ricky Gervais today I would certainly lie and say that I liked his movie. But in truth it has a good half hour going into it before it just loses it. Somebody should do a remake of this real soon with a new director and a new screenwriter. My apologies to Ricky and his writing and directing partner Matthew Robinson for saying that but on the prospect dreams of a remake they should hang on as consultants.

THE MOVIE:
In an alternate reality that mirrors our own the notion of lying does not exist. Mark Bellison (Gervais) arrives for his first date with the unattainable Anna (Jennifer Garner) and she tells him that he has no chance, this is probably the last date, that she is only going out with him out of politeness. When Bellison loses his job as a screenwriter of overly honest and earnest history films (his domain are stories about the 13th century) everyone at the office informs him that they are glad he is gone.

When the insignificant and ineffectual chub is unable to pay the rent, he tells the first lie that man has ever told so he can hang on above poverty level - a quasi-exhilarating special-effects rush to the head is employed to kick-start this impulse. Bellison realizes he can exploit this device to trick beautiful women to pay attention to him, trick the games tables at casinos, and trick deadbeats at the local pub that he is a pirate, a lion tamer and the inventor of the bicycle among other things.

Yet an early storytelling mistake utilizes a montage that shows the hero fixing up local people who have been saddled with problems. Isn't this is a movie that should be exploiting verbal wit and not music montages? But the movie is further weakened by Gervais himself.

Gervais is known as an entertainer who falls back on self-deprecating humor, but throughout this particular effort, it unremittingly feels like a self-pity act. What it comes down to is Bellison getting over his poor self-image and becoming content with himself, all at the expense of a great story idea that should have way more fun with its concept.

SOUND + VISION:
Average Joe. Everything about the audio and video transfer is average. This is despite the Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and 1.85:1 widescreen transfer. The reason for this perhaps is because the movie has the tech aspects of a TV sitcom. But even for those standards the sound and picture quality are fairly perky.

 PACKAGING/ LAYOUT:
Average Joe. Standard jewel case with standard layout and menus. On the cover three of the four actors are recognizable to me. Hey, I'm being honest.

23 chapter selections, how about that for an odd number? The titles for each chapter are not honest, just bland. No sound at all on the sub-menu screens.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
This filler is honestly sucky. And I wish that I didn't have to say that but you get the feeling that the special features were put together so everybody could give each other a big hug. To get to the truth, just check out the first deleted scene and the gag reel to get your satisfaction. Extras include:

• Prequel: The Dawn of Lying (6:30) - Live action short film made with all the same actors and crew of the movie, this time taking place at caveman time. Amusing.
• This Side of the Truth, a Truly "Honest" Making of The Invention of Lying (7:15) - The invention of repartee. I'm almost annoyed by this average and cookie-cutter making-of doc.
• Meet Karl Pilkington (17:45) - Anecdotal to close friends of Ricky Gervais only. Or close friends of Karl Pilkington. What's worse is when this segment goes off-track. Exasperating.
• Ricky and Matt's Video Podcasts (10:00) - Four of them all self-serving of crappy low-quality video footage of co-directors Gervais and Matthew Robinson showing up on the set.
• Additional scenes (7:12) - Five of them. "On the Way to the Restaurant" with Gervais and Garner on their first date is wicked and snappy, the film at its best. The other cut scenes are a little flat but it is worth a chuckle to hear Christopher Guest's favorite number.
• More Laughter: Corpsing and Outtakes (5:30) - Unusual running gag involving a pellet gun. Three or four big laughs which makes this the one outstanding extra.

MY TWO CENTS:
This movie makes you wish that Gervais would sell his story ideas to someone else to handle. I imagine guys like Mike Judge or the Farrelly Brothers could run with this material like renegades. Also, I wouldn't mind seeing Alexander Payne (Election, Sideways) do this kind of a farce. In general, a filmmaker with more of a vision.

The DVD sells for $15.99 at amazon.com. You can evolve your DVD collection without the inclusion of this title. But if this ever comes up on Netflix instant viewing, I advise you to watch the first half hour and skip the rest.

FILM SCORE: C
SOUND + VISION SCORE: C
PACKAGING/ LAYOUT SCORE: C-
EXTRAS SCORE: C-
DVD OVERALL SCORE: C