Quick Review: I Love You Phillip Morris

There was a lot of speculation that the American release "I Love You Phillip Morris," which debuted at Sundance in January 2009, was delayed because of its sexual content. According to Wikipedia it was re-edited, found a distributor in May 2009 but still sat and sat, with opening dates announced and then canceled, until finally it hit some theaters in early December. I feel it necessary to provide some important information that may help clarify the matter: this movie is dreadful. It's based on the true story of Steven Russell (Jim Carrey), a con artist who was sent to prison and met, and fell in love with, fellow inmate Phillip Morris (Ewan McGregor). This development led to even more scams in order to get himself and his new love out of prison and into a fabulously wealthy lifestyle. Russell was so adept at breaking out of prison, he's now kept totally isolated, allowed out once a day for fresh air and exercise. The two men (as well as Russell's previous lover, prior to his imprisonment and affair with Morris) are stereotypically gay, and not in a good way. I found Carrey to be increasingly annoying as the film went on, and McGregor basically played a fey dimwit (which is possibly what the real Morris is like, but this seemed extreme). The true-life story is fantastic, but the movie turns it into an unfunny farce. My grade: D-minus.