Big Fat Liar (PG, 2002)

After getting caught in one of his many elaborate lies, 8th grader Jason (Frankie Muniz) is given a tight deadline to turn in his homework, or go to summer school. He writes a story called "Big Fat Liar," but as he races to get it in on time, he collides with a car driven by an even bigger liar, Hollywood producer Marty Wolf (Paul Giamattti). In a mix up, Jason loses his paper in Wolf's car, and no one believes that he really did write the story. Summer comes, and so does Marty Wolf's movie called "Big Fat Liar." Jason sets out to prove to his parents that he really was telling the truth. He spends his savings to get to Los Angeles with his friend Kaylee (Amanda Bynes). The kids scam their way into Wolf's office, but Wolf refuses to tell the truth. So Jason and Kaylee, along with a growing group of fellow Wolf-haters, set up a series of pranks designed to torture Wolf into admitting that Jason wrote the story for his new movie.

Muniz and Giamatti are deft comic actors in BIG FAT LIAR, but the highlight of the movie is Bynes as Kaylee. Her two different but equally hilarious renditions of Hollywood secretaries are gems. Giamatti is so relentlessly selfish and egotistical that it gets a bit tedious, but he does do a wonderful little dance to "Hungry Like a (what else?) Wolf."

One small bright spot worth mentioning is that all of Jason's efforts are intended to show that he was telling the truth. His motive for pursuing Wolf is never getting any money or credit for his story. Another strength of the movie is its racially diverse cast.

Studio: Universal Pictures
Director: Shawn Levy
Cast: Amanda Bynes, Frankie Muniz, Paul Giamatti
Genre: Family and Kids
Run time: 88 minutes
Theatrical release: February 8, 2002
DVD release: September 24, 2002
MPAA Rating: PG
MPAA explanation: vulgar language