I don't even know where to begin with this movie. The fact that it was based on a true story just blows my mind. Man with super-Christian wife announces he's gay, moves to Florida to live the lifestyle, supports himself by committing fraud, his boyfriend dies of AIDS, he goes to prison for his crimes, he falls in love with another inmate, he becomes a lawyer to get his lover out of prison... and it only gets more unreal from there. It's bizarre.
I did find myself laughing out loud quite a bit, but I don't know if it was due to the absurdity of the entire plot or whether it was actually funny. I've never been a huge Jim Carrey fan (my favorites of his are the more "serious comedies," The Truman Show and Eternal Sunshine), to the point where I feel like he almost detracts from a movie. Still, his completely over-the-top style worked for this over-the-top story. And Ewan McGregor. I just love him, and I've always thought he was a good actor. This role just proved how versatile he is. He was stellar as this sweet, soft-spoken, golden-haired, gay, minor criminal. I too wanted to shout, "I love you, Phillip Morris!"
This whole flick was far from what I expected, but it was entertaining, funny, strangely engaging, and definitely interesting. And did I mention Ewan McGregor?
Rating: 3.5
