About I Love You Philip Morris (2009)
I Love You Phillip Morris is the improbable but true story of a spectacularly charismatic conman’s journey from small-town businessman to flamboyant white-collar criminal, who repeatedly finds himself in trouble with the law and on the lam, brilliantly escaping from the Texas prison system on four separate occasions–all in the name of love.
Told with an uncanny sense of humor and a lot of heart, I Love You Phillip Morris is an oddball tale of what can happen when the legal system, a daredevil spirit and undying love collide.
Starring: Jim Carrey, Ewan McGregor
Directed by: Glenn Ficarra and John Requa
Runtime: 98 minutes
Studio: Lions Gate
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Review: I Love You Philip Morris
When Jim Carrey first came to the fore with the likes of Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and The Mask I found a lot to admire with this new comic talent but never expected him to endure as he has. Carrey’s durability comes not from his comedy roles but from his more serious work like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. With I Love You Philip Morris, I was promised a mixture of comedy with a slice of serious material but would it be another Carrey classic?
The film is partly based on the true story of con artist Steven Jay Russell. It begins with Steven dying in a hospital bed and thinking back over his life. He is a police officer, goes to church, is married to Debbie (Leslie Mann) and has a daughter but following a car crash Steven becomes true to himself and begins a new life as a gay man. Enjoying a new and lavish lifestyle, Steven has to become a con artist to keep himself and boyfriend Jimmy (Rodrigo Santo) in the money. After being caught, Steven ends up in prison but it isn’t all bad. He meets and falls in love with Philip Morris (Ewan McGregor) and will do anything for the two of them to always be together, including continually breaking the law.
Homosexuality is a taboo subject for many and I understand it wasn’t plain selling getting I Love You Philip Morris released. I’ve never understood the disgust or even fear about homosexuality. It’s becoming more acceptable in many societies sadly it’s also a lot safer walking down many streets if you’re heterosexual as opposed to gay! Steven Russell is initially the product of an unforgiving society. He does all the things that other men are doing in his town: getting a decent job, being part of the community and attending church, marrying and having a family. However, when Steven is badly injured in a car accident he’s near delirious being taken away in the ambulance and professes to the paramedics that he’ll be true to himself and gay from now on. His new life with boyfriend, Jimmy, comprises fancy clothes and a lifestyle that is too expensive for them t maintain. Steven becomes a con artist to pay the bills but despite his best efforts he cannot escape the long arms of the law.
In prison Steven meets the quiet Philip Morris and though the relationship is slow to develop there is soon mutual affection between them. Being in separate cells Steven and Philip have to exchange messages using a fellow inmate as a makeshift courier but Steven isn’t content with being apart from his new lover. He is able to play the system and trick the powers that be at every turn. As soon as Steven is released from prison he manages to get Philip out and a new life begins though Steven cannot refrain from his con artist ways. This puts sustained pressure on his relationship with Philip but Steven always engineers a way for them to be together even if it means making the authorities look utterly stupid. The question is how long can Steven evade the law and will his relationship with Philip survive?
Carrey and McGregor make a great team in this very different comedy. Carrey is an unstoppable force as usual while McGregor depicts a very delicate Philip Morris who seems too fragile to hurt anyone until he’s provoked that is. Steven’s antics are completely outrageous and many of them true which makes the film even more extraordinary. This does fall short of some of Carrey’s other films though. It’s certainly more comedy than drama though there are some moving moments in there. For the minority who might be worried, yes there are some gay sex scenes in this film but like Brokeback Mountain they’re certainly nothing to be up in arms about.
I Love You Philip Morris is an effective comedy/drama whose strengths are in Carrey and McGregor’s performances. This isn’t the best you’ll see of Carrey and McGregor but fans of either actor will find a lot to admire here.
Verdict: 4/5
(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)
Film Review: I Love You Philip Morris | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
