There’s a book by John Gregory Dunne called “Monster: Living Off the Big Screen” about how he and his wife (Joan Didion) wrote the screenplay for the forgettable Robert Redford/Michelle Pfeiffer film “Up Close and Personal”. Touchstone bought the rights to make a film about Jessica Savitch, a prominent female news anchor in the 1970’s. Her life is a very dark story of failed marriages and relationships, and drug problems that even affected her on-air performances. She drowned in a car accident at the age of 36. Knowing all of this, Touchstone bought the rights anyway, but then decided that her life was too tragic and depressing, especially when major talents like Redford and Pfeiffer were becoming interested. What ended up on the screen, after 8 years of rewites, was a “Star Is Born” type love-story about a rising star and a falling talent that really had nothing to do with Jessica Savitch at all.

The point is that’s what can happen to interesting stories and ideas when they are turned into major films with major stars. Maybe that won’t happen in this case, but I don’t think I would bet on it not happening.

“It’s good for both parties,” said media analyst Harold Vogel. “If the talent has a true belief in the movie, they are taking a little more risk by getting no significant compensation upfront but a much larger share of the ultimate profitability,” he explained. “It makes sense for studios, which are cash-constrained.”

With the economics of the movie industry becoming less lucrative in recent years, the studios would prefer to have talent shoulder more of the risk. One way is getting expensive stars, directors, writers and producers to defer their customary fees and forfeit their cut of box office dollars from the first ticket sold, known as first dollar gross.

I think with Jim Carrey you’re generally guranteed a likeable character with good comedy and wit. Although different in their acting I tend to think of him and Will Smith as actors that can take an ‘average’ film and make it memorable/enjoyable because they bring something to a performance that gets passed the failings in a script.

It sounds like a decent movie. It’s not going to better Eternal Sunshine… but it seems like it would be very enjoyable for what it will be - a comedy with a bit of light-hearted humour, a reasonably novel promise and no doubt a message about good human values.

As for the claims that this is a Liar Liar clone, again I think you need to wait for a trailer. I honestly don’t see how this could be similar to Liar Liar considering its a different story and type of character. Everyone started saying how Get Smart seemed just like Johnny English (even after the trailers came out) and then when it came out it was nothing like it. People are too quick to judge.

That said I want to see how they do the Hypno dog :)