Liar Liar (1998)

Recovering from the box-office disappointment of The Cable Guy, Jim Carrey gave his fans what they wanted in this good-natured and frequently hilarious 1997 comedy. In a vehicle tailor-made for his verbal and physical antics, Carrey plays a lawyer whose penchant for prevarication is tested when his son makes a birthday wish that his father would tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth for 24 hours, so help him God! Without his daily defense of white lies, selfish fibs, and outright deception, the helpless lawyer finds himself blurting uncensored truths with total, and totally outrageous, candor. The script is clever enough to milk the premise for all it's worth, but it's Carrey's energy--particularly in a hilarious bathroom scene where he literally mugs himself to delay a trial--that keeps the movie going to its happy ending. The supporting cast includes Jennifer Tilly, Cary Elwes, and Amanda Donohoe. Siskel & Ebert give Liar, Liar "Two thumbs up!"