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Big Fat Liar
Universal Pictures


8.0

based on 24 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 18 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie

FILM:

MPAA RATING: PG for some language

Starring Frankie Muniz, Amanda Bynes, Paul Giamatti, Lawrence Watson, Lindsay Tryctha, Amanda Detmer, Josh Rusin, and Lee Majors

Who's afraid of the big bad Wolf? Not Jason Shepherd (Muniz), who has to prove that sleazy Hollywood producer Marty Wolf (Giamatti) stole his class paper and turned into a blockbuster hit movie called Big Fat Liar. (Universal)

GENRE(S):	Comedy
WRITTEN BY:	Dan Schneider (also story) Brian Robbins (story)
DIRECTED BY:	Shawn Levy
RELEASE DATE:	DVD: September 24, 2002 Video: September 24, 2002 Theatrical: February 8, 2002
RUNNING TIME:	87 minutes, Color
ORIGIN:	USA

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

A surprisingly entertaining movie -- one of those good-hearted comedies like "Spy Kids" where reality is put on hold while bright teenagers outsmart the best and worst the adult world has to offer. It's ideal for younger kids, and not painful for their parents.

Film Threat Heather Wadowski

A hilarious film for anyone who remembers lying as a kid-- and anyone who wants to see a movie that's just plain fun.

Washington Post Michael O'Sullivan

An innocent comedic revenge fantasy that somehow manages to be sweet and wickedly satisfying at the same time.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer Ellen A. Kim

The film gets snaps just by attempting the high road, and should be enjoyed by its target audience.

Philadelphia Inquirer Steven Rea

A harmless and mildly amusing family comedy.

TV Guide Maitland McDonagh

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.

San Francisco Chronicle Mick LaSalle

The result is a children's movie that's almost worth seeing even when not accompanied by a child. It's certainly a painless experience, and at times it's quite funny.

Chicago Tribune Robert K. Elder

Plays so flat, so to close its "movie message" formula, that it seems as if we've seen this movie before.

The New York Times Stephen Holden

If Ms. Bynes keeps going in this direction, she can conceivably develop a gallery of characters as rich and varied as Tracey Ullman's.

Salon.com Damien Cave

Generally succeeds. But with just a bit more effort the movie might have been funnier and a lot more fun.

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Liam Lacey

Big Fat Liar becomes a progression of increasingly elaborate slapstick stunts, in the brutal, noisy "Home Alone" vein, in which the complexity of the pranks rarely yields a commensurate comic reward.

USA Today Claudia Puig

Not so admirably, the film feels at times like a giant commercial for Universal Studios.

Los Angeles Times Jan Stuart

Screenwriter Dan Schneider and director Shawn Levy substitute volume and primary colors for humor and bite. Granted, it's a kids' flick, but kids today have enough savvy about the movie industry to report for Variety.

Austin Chronicle Kimberley Jones

The movie scores some laughs, all of which come from the expert Giamatti.

Charlotte Observer Lawrence Toppman

What starts as a cute premise crashes faster than a skateboard with an oak branch shoved between its wheels.

Boston Globe Jay Carr

Offers little in the way of pleasure, even to its target audience -- the easily pleased and undemanding.

New York Daily News Jami Bernard

There are lame comedies, and then there is Big Fat Liar, which is so lame that it merits its own reserved parking space.

Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman

How appealing is Muniz, taking a break from ''Malcolm in the Middle,'' a day job he should by no means let go of?

ReelViews James Berardinelli

A lame collection of dumber-than-dumb gags, the quality of Big Fat Liar is on par with that of the worst television sit-com gorged to four times its normal size.

New York Post Lou Lumenick

Loud and unfunny, this cheesy-looking farce is mostly an excuse for a series of plugs.

Variety Robert Koehler

Though Muniz and Bynes make a somewhat likable team, their funniest skills are dampened by the material's insistent stupidity.

LA Weekly John Dentino

Old people are made to look ridiculous; clowns are brutalized; characters talk in rapid-fire vaudeville shtick.

The Onion (A.V. Club) Nathan Rabin

Big Fat Liar's screenplay, co-written by Robbins and fellow Head Of The Class alumnus Dan Schneider, is a model of comic inefficiency. Like a Rube Goldberg contraption, it goes to excruciating, wildly implausible lengths for the flimsiest of payoffs.

New Times (L.A.) Robert Wilonsky

A bland, obnoxious 88-minute infomercial for Universal Studios.

The average user rating for this movie is 8.0 (out of 10) based on 18 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Brendan gave it a6:
This is a film that might make adults fall asleep but it makes a classic comedy for younger and older children. Amanda Bynes and Frankie Muniz both give memorable performances that will keep the kids laughing. The acting talents of Paul Giamatti are well shown even in a kid's comedy such as this. You can see the actor's Oscar nominated talents very clearly. So it's great for the kids and it might be enjoyable for you but no matter who you are it is a funny film.

Jon gave it a9:
Paul Giamatti is flawless and worth watching alone. Hungry Like the Wolf brings new meaning.

Jeremy gave it a 6:
Ultimately a kids film, but a harmless one with a few clever laughs aimed for the adults.

Robert gave it a 10:
I absolutley loved this film..... I gotta go my car is parked on a dog....in the tail area to be more specific.

Jane D. gave it a 10:
Mitchelle P. is crazy.

[Anonymous] gave it a 10:
The movie was awsome and I love dogs too but I'm not gonna give it a bad rating cuz of it.

Andy E. gave it a 10:
Michelle P. is full of @$!&. It is an awesome movie!

Big Fat Liar Universal Pictures

Big Fat Liar
Universal Pictures