Compulsive Liar

Emile Gaudreault's 2019 Quebec film is about an executive at an aviation company who has built his life on lies. Simon lies about everything and pays no price for it. Then the universe intervenes and every lie he tells begins coming true. The idea rests on a single joke and the film works to vary it across ninety minutes. The best stretch is the middle, where the lies pile up and start contradicting each other. Louis-Jose Houde and Antoine Bertrand are a familiar pairing in Quebec cinema and they hold the pace. The humour is largely local; the particular use of Quebec French and regional references carry part of the comedy. The film did well commercially in Quebec. Who it's for: those who like Quebec comedy and light films with a fantastical element. Who it's not for: viewers expecting the idea to be pushed to its end; the film goes nowhere new after its setup.