Big Fat Liar: Difference between revisions

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.
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[[File:bigfatlair.jpg|frame]]
[[File:bigfatlair.jpg|frame]]


[[Big Fat Liar]] is a 2002 kid's film starring [[Malcolm in the Middle|Frankie Muniz]] as a 14-year-old Jason Shepherd and [[The Amanda Show|Amanda]] [[All That|Bynes]] as 14-year-old Kaylee. Very over-the-top, although [[Zoey 101|what]] [[Drake and Josh|can]] [[The Amanda Show|you]] [[All That|expect]] [[ICarly|from]] writer [[Dan Schneider]].
''[[Big Fat Liar]]'' is a 2002 kid's [[film]] starring [[Malcolm in the Middle|Frankie Muniz]] as a 14-year-old Jason Shepherd and [[Amanda Bynes]] as 14-year-old Kaylee. Very over-the-top, although [[Zoey 101|what]] [[Drake and Josh|can]] [[The Amanda Show|you]] [[All That|expect]] [[iCarly|from]] writer [[Dan Schneider]].


In a modern-day retelling of the Boy Who Cried Wolf, Jason Shepherd is a [[Title Drop|Big Fat Liar]] who lies all the time to everyone. Then a greedy movie director- Marty Wolf- steals his creative writing essay to use it as the basis for his next blockbuster, and no-one will believe Jason when [[You Have to Believe Me|he explains what happened]]. Thus, Jason decides that the only way to convince everyone that he's being honest is to sneak off to L.A. with his friend Kaylee and inflict a series of increasingly harmful pranks on Wolff until he has a nervous breakdown and confesses. [[Hilarity Ensues]].
In a modern-day retelling of the Boy Who Cried Wolf, Jason Shepherd is a [[Title Drop|Big Fat Liar]] who lies all the time to everyone. Then a greedy movie director- Marty Wolf- steals his creative writing essay to use it as the basis for his next blockbuster, and no-one will believe Jason when [[You Have to Believe Me|he explains what happened]]. Thus, Jason decides that the only way to convince everyone that he's being honest is to sneak off to L.A. with his friend Kaylee and inflict a series of increasingly harmful pranks on Wolff until he has a nervous breakdown and confesses. [[Hilarity Ensues]].
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It got 44% rotten on [[Rotten Tomatoes]], but surprisingly received 3 stars from [[Roger Ebert]].
It got 44% rotten on [[Rotten Tomatoes]], but surprisingly received 3 stars from [[Roger Ebert]].


{{tropelist}}
-----
* [[Asshole Victim]]: Normally when somebody gets into a car crash (and they need to get towed), you feel sorry for them. But not Marty.
==== Tropes used by the film: ====
* [[Asshole Victim]]: Wolf is such a huge jerk throughout the film that the studio's ''entire staff'' hates him. Naturally, everyone points and laughs and helps Jason expose him and get him fired.
* [[Bare Your Midriff]]: Kaylee wears a belly shirt for part of the movie.
* [[Bare Your Midriff]]: Kaylee wears a belly shirt for part of the movie.
* [[Big OMG]]: Marty gets one when he's in the shower and finally realizes that he's covered in blue thanks to the blue dye put in his pool, and has just put orange coloring in his hair to top it all off.
* [[Big OMG]]: Marty gets one when he's in the shower and finally realizes that he's covered in blue thanks to the blue dye put in his pool, and has just put orange coloring in his hair to top it all off.
* [[Break the Haughty]]
* [[Break the Haughty]]
* [[Brilliant but Lazy]]: Jason.
* [[Brilliant but Lazy]]: Jason.
* [[The Cameo]]: Director Shawn Levy, Bynes' ''[[All That]]'' colleague [[Kenan and Kel|Kenan]] [[Saturday Night Live|Thompson]], and [[Saved by the Bell|Dustin Diamond]] all appear at Wolf's house party.
* [[The Cameo]]: Director Shawn Levy, Bynes' ''[[All That]]'' colleague [[Kenan and Kel|Kenan]] [[Saturday Night Live|Thompson]], and [[Saved by the Bell|Dustin Diamond]] all appear at Wolf's house party.
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* [[Deadpan Snarker]]: Marty Wolf, when he's not SCREAMING IN EVERYONE'S FACES.
* [[Deadpan Snarker]]: Marty Wolf, when he's not SCREAMING IN EVERYONE'S FACES.
* [[Disturbed Doves]]: See [[Ironic Echo]] below.
* [[Disturbed Doves]]: See [[Ironic Echo]] below.
* [[DIY Disaster]]: Jason and Kaylee purposely wire Marty's car to do this, with the brake making the car horn go off, and a lot of other stuff.
* [[DIY Disaster]]: Jason and Kaylee purposely wire Marty's car to do this, with the brake making the car horn go off, and a lot of other stuff.
* [[Drives Like Crazy]]: {{spoiler|Jaleel}}.
* [[Drives Like Crazy]]: {{spoiler|Jaleel}}.
* [[Dumb Muscle]]: Bret Callaway.
* [[Dumb Muscle]]: Bret Callaway.
* [[Earn Your Happy Ending]]: Marty continues to refuse to confess...but Jason realizes that if he has enough people he can engineer a public confession. And he does.
* [[Earn Your Happy Ending]]
* [[Engineered Public Confession]] {{spoiler|The ending}}.
* [[Engineered Public Confession]] {{spoiler|The ending}}.
* [[Fat Bastard]]: How Marty treats ''his own public relations manager''.
* [[Fat Bastard]]: How Marty treats ''his own public relations manager''.
* [[Formally-Named Pet]]: Marty Wolf has a stuffed monkey named Mr. Funnybones that he's... [[Cargo Ship|oddly attached to]].
* [[Formally-Named Pet]]: Marty Wolf has a stuffed monkey named Mr. Funnybones that he's... [[Cargo Ship|oddly attached to]]. It's pretty ironic considering Jason and his friends are making a monkey out of him.
* [[Former Child Star]]: Poor <s>[[Family Matters|Steve Urkel]]</s> Jaleel White just can't be taken seriously.
* [[Former Child Star]]: Poor <s>[[Family Matters|Steve Urkel]]</s> Jaleel White just can't be taken seriously.
* [[Freudian Excuse]]: It's understandable that Marty would be desperate for new movie ideas considering that his previous movies haven't turned out so well, at least not in the box office. Marty doesn't become so sympathetic when he decides to burn Shepherd's book report though.
* [[Girl Friday]]: Without Kaylee, Jason is dead in the water. Seriously, he can't pull off anything without her.
* [[Girl Friday]]: Without Kaylee, Jason is dead in the water. Seriously, he can't pull off anything without her.
* [[Grandparental Obliviousness]]: Grandma Pearl. "That woman doesn't even know what year it is".
* [[Grandparental Obliviousness]]: Grandma Pearl. "That woman doesn't even know what year it is".
* [[Groin Attack]]: Heavily implied to be what Marty (dressed as "Wolfy the Clown") got in the ending.
* [[Groin Attack]]: Heavily implied to be what Marty (dressed as "Wolfy the Clown") got in the ending.
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* [[Hypercompetent Sidekick]]: Monty has been writing Wolf's scripts for him for years. Overlaps with [[Beleaguered Assistant]], as she gets nothing but grief for her trouble.
* [[Hypercompetent Sidekick]]: Monty has been writing Wolf's scripts for him for years. Overlaps with [[Beleaguered Assistant]], as she gets nothing but grief for her trouble.
* [[I Am Not Spock]]: Poor Jaleel White...
* [[I Am Not Spock]]: Poor Jaleel White...
{{quote| "How many times have I told you not to call me "Urkel?!" My name is Jaleel White!"}}
{{quote|"How many times have I told you not to call me "Urkel?!" My name is Jaleel White!"}}
* [[In a World]]: Parodied in the BFL Trailer.
* [[In a World]]: Parodied in the BFL Trailer.
* [[Ironic Echo]]: "12 camera angles with birds flying around..."
* [[Ironic Echo]]: "12 camera angles with birds flying around..."
* [[Jacob Marley Warning]]: Marty represents what would happen to Jason if he kept lying to others - his entire life would fall apart.
* [[Jerkass]]: Marty Wolf should be a 7-letter word.
* [[Jerkass]]: Marty Wolf should be a 7-letter word.
* [[Jerk Jock]]: Bret Calloway.
* [[Jerk Jock]]: Bret Calloway.
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* [[Locking MacGyver in the Store Cupboard]]: {{spoiler|Once he captures Jason and Kaylee, Wolf sends them back to the prop warehouse to pack for their flight home. The same warehouse where they previously got every tool they'd used against him so far....}}
* [[Locking MacGyver in the Store Cupboard]]: {{spoiler|Once he captures Jason and Kaylee, Wolf sends them back to the prop warehouse to pack for their flight home. The same warehouse where they previously got every tool they'd used against him so far....}}
* [[Massive Multiplayer Scam]]: emphasis on Massive.
* [[Massive Multiplayer Scam]]: emphasis on Massive.
* [[Mean Boss]]: Marty Wolf.
* [[Mean Boss]]: Marty Wolf. It's implied to be the reason why his movies haven't turned out well as of late.
* [[Meaningful Name]]: Perpetual liar Jason Shepherd has his English paper stolen by Marty and, of course, Jason isn't believed when he explains this. Note: Their last names refer to Aesop's fable the Boy Who Cried Wolf.
* [[Meaningful Name]]: Perpetual liar Jason Shepherd has his English paper stolen by Marty and, of course, Jason isn't believed when he explains this. Note: Their last names refer to Aesop's fable the Boy Who Cried Wolf.
* [[Metaphorgotten]]:
* [[Metaphorgotten]]:
{{quote| Kaylee: I wanna see a broken man, people. I mean, broken as in, "I hit a baseball through the window" broken. I want you to turn him into mince meat, and I don't even know what mince meat is! I want him to cry for his mommy! "Wah! Wah! Mommy, mommy, mommy!" Do you read me?! 'Cause I don't think you read me!}}
{{quote|Kaylee: I wanna see a broken man, people. I mean, broken as in, "I hit a baseball through the window" broken. I want you to turn him into mince meat, and I don't even know what mince meat is! I want him to cry for his mommy! "Wah! Wah! Mommy, mommy, mommy!" Do you read me?! 'Cause I don't think you read me!}}
* [[Mexican Standoff]]
* [[Mexican Standoff]]
* [[The Nicknamer]]: Marty Wolf, and a mean one at that.
* [[The Nicknamer]]: Marty Wolf, and a mean one at that.
* [["No Respect" Guy]]: ''Anyone'' who works for Marty. Just pick 1 person.
* [["No Respect" Guy]]: ''Anyone'' who works for Marty. Just pick 1 person.
** Rocko Malone, the security guy?
** Rocko Malone, the security guy?
* [[Obsolete Mentor]]: Poor "Gramps".
* [[Obsolete Mentor]]: Poor "Gramps".
* [[The Oner]]: Jaleel White's intro scene. The deleted scenes reel has an even longer version.
* [[The Oner]]: Jaleel White's intro scene. The deleted scenes reel has an even longer version.
* [[Paper-Thin Disguise]]: Bret as Kaylee, although justified, considering Grandma Pearl is half-blind.
* [[Paper-Thin Disguise]]: Bret as Kaylee, although justified, considering Grandma Pearl is half-blind.
* [[Pet the Dog]]: Marty Wolfe is a jerk to everyone else on set...but he at least has the decency to give Shepherd a ride to school after he's hit by his limo. Incidentally, this gives Wolfe something that could save his career.
* [[Platonic Life Partners]]: Jason and Kaylee
* [[Platonic Life Partners]]: Jason and Kaylee
* [[Refuge in Audacity]]: Like any director would steal creative writing from some kid's backpack and turn it into his next big movie...
* [[Refuge in Audacity]]: Like any director would steal creative writing from some kid's backpack and turn it into his next big movie...
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* [[Slow Motion Drop]]: Parodied in the movie trailer of the movie-in-a-movie Big Fat Liar
* [[Slow Motion Drop]]: Parodied in the movie trailer of the movie-in-a-movie Big Fat Liar
* [[Stealth Pun]]: Jason always lies until he finally tells the truth that someone stole his paper, and no one believes him. The thief? Director Marty Wolf. Jason is the Boy Who Cried Wolf, literally.
* [[Stealth Pun]]: Jason always lies until he finally tells the truth that someone stole his paper, and no one believes him. The thief? Director Marty Wolf. Jason is the Boy Who Cried Wolf, literally.
* [[Stern Teacher]]: Mrs. Phyllis Caldwell, Jason's English teacher.
* [[Stern Teacher]]: Mrs. Phyllis Caldwell, Jason's English teacher.
* [[Surrogate Soliloquy]]: Marty with Mr. Funnybones
* [[Surrogate Soliloquy]]: Marty with Mr. Funnybones
* [[Throw It In]]: Most of Kaylee's gags were ad-libbed.
* [[Throw It In]]: Most of Kaylee's gags were ad-libbed.
* [[Two Words: Obvious Trope]]: Parodied in the awful movie-in-a-movie Whittaker and Fowl:
* [[Two Words: Obvious Trope]]: Parodied in the awful movie-in-a-movie Whittaker and Fowl:
{{quote| Listen Whitaker, I am not your father and I'm not your priest I got two words for you: shut the heck up! You talk way too much... can we cut?}}
{{quote|Listen Whitaker, I am not your father and I'm not your priest I got two words for you: shut the heck up! You talk way too much... can we cut?}}
* [[Unsportsmanlike Gloating]]: Oh boy.
* [[Unsportsmanlike Gloating]]: Oh boy.
{{quote| Marty: Yeah, I stole your story, whoop-de-doodle-do! I STOLE JASON SHEPARD'S STORY AND TURNED IT INTO BIG FAT LIAR! Do you know who's listening? Nobody and get used to it. Because I will never-ever-never-ever-ever-ever-ever-infinity tell the truth!}}
{{quote|Marty: Yeah, I stole your story, whoop-de-doodle-do! I STOLE JASON SHEPARD'S STORY AND TURNED IT INTO BIG FAT LIAR! Do you know who's listening? Nobody and get used to it. Because I will never-ever-never-ever-ever-ever-ever-infinity tell the truth!}}
* [[Wounded Gazelle Gambit]]: Pretending the dog-lover secretary's car is [[Crosses the Line Twice|''parked on a dog's tail'']]
* [[Wounded Gazelle Gambit]]: Pretending the dog-lover secretary's car is [[Crosses the Line Twice|''parked on a dog's tail'']]
* [[You Get Me Coffee]]: Marty's attitude to Monty
* [[You! Get Me Coffee!]]: Marty's attitude to Monty
* [[You Have to Believe Me]]: Poor Jason
* [[You Have to Believe Me]]: Poor Jason
* [[Zany Scheme]]: Jason comes up with these, [[A Simple Plan]], and then the most elaborate plan of all
* [[Zany Scheme]]: Jason comes up with these, [[A Simple Plan]], and then the most elaborate plan of all
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{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Films of the 2000s]]
[[Category:Films of the 2000s]]
[[Category:Big Fat Liar]]
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Film]]

Latest revision as of 14:13, 13 July 2021

Big Fat Liar is a 2002 kid's film starring Frankie Muniz as a 14-year-old Jason Shepherd and Amanda Bynes as 14-year-old Kaylee. Very over-the-top, although what can you expect from writer Dan Schneider.

In a modern-day retelling of the Boy Who Cried Wolf, Jason Shepherd is a Big Fat Liar who lies all the time to everyone. Then a greedy movie director- Marty Wolf- steals his creative writing essay to use it as the basis for his next blockbuster, and no-one will believe Jason when he explains what happened. Thus, Jason decides that the only way to convince everyone that he's being honest is to sneak off to L.A. with his friend Kaylee and inflict a series of increasingly harmful pranks on Wolff until he has a nervous breakdown and confesses. Hilarity Ensues.

It got 44% rotten on Rotten Tomatoes, but surprisingly received 3 stars from Roger Ebert.

Tropes used in Big Fat Liar include:

"How many times have I told you not to call me "Urkel?!" My name is Jaleel White!"

  • In a World: Parodied in the BFL Trailer.
  • Ironic Echo: "12 camera angles with birds flying around..."
  • Jacob Marley Warning: Marty represents what would happen to Jason if he kept lying to others - his entire life would fall apart.
  • Jerkass: Marty Wolf should be a 7-letter word.
  • Jerk Jock: Bret Calloway.
  • Kitsch Collection: The secretary's tacky stuffed dog collection.
  • Large Ham: Paul Giamatti really enjoyed himself making this movie.
  • Late for School: The opening.
  • Locking MacGyver in the Store Cupboard: Once he captures Jason and Kaylee, Wolf sends them back to the prop warehouse to pack for their flight home. The same warehouse where they previously got every tool they'd used against him so far....
  • Massive Multiplayer Scam: emphasis on Massive.
  • Mean Boss: Marty Wolf. It's implied to be the reason why his movies haven't turned out well as of late.
  • Meaningful Name: Perpetual liar Jason Shepherd has his English paper stolen by Marty and, of course, Jason isn't believed when he explains this. Note: Their last names refer to Aesop's fable the Boy Who Cried Wolf.
  • Metaphorgotten:

Kaylee: I wanna see a broken man, people. I mean, broken as in, "I hit a baseball through the window" broken. I want you to turn him into mince meat, and I don't even know what mince meat is! I want him to cry for his mommy! "Wah! Wah! Mommy, mommy, mommy!" Do you read me?! 'Cause I don't think you read me!

  • Mexican Standoff
  • The Nicknamer: Marty Wolf, and a mean one at that.
  • "No Respect" Guy: Anyone who works for Marty. Just pick 1 person.
    • Rocko Malone, the security guy?
  • Obsolete Mentor: Poor "Gramps".
  • The Oner: Jaleel White's intro scene. The deleted scenes reel has an even longer version.
  • Paper-Thin Disguise: Bret as Kaylee, although justified, considering Grandma Pearl is half-blind.
  • Pet the Dog: Marty Wolfe is a jerk to everyone else on set...but he at least has the decency to give Shepherd a ride to school after he's hit by his limo. Incidentally, this gives Wolfe something that could save his career.
  • Platonic Life Partners: Jason and Kaylee
  • Refuge in Audacity: Like any director would steal creative writing from some kid's backpack and turn it into his next big movie...
  • Sarcastic Confession
  • Slow Motion Drop: Parodied in the movie trailer of the movie-in-a-movie Big Fat Liar
  • Stealth Pun: Jason always lies until he finally tells the truth that someone stole his paper, and no one believes him. The thief? Director Marty Wolf. Jason is the Boy Who Cried Wolf, literally.
  • Stern Teacher: Mrs. Phyllis Caldwell, Jason's English teacher.
  • Surrogate Soliloquy: Marty with Mr. Funnybones
  • Throw It In: Most of Kaylee's gags were ad-libbed.
  • Two Words: Obvious Trope: Parodied in the awful movie-in-a-movie Whittaker and Fowl:

Listen Whitaker, I am not your father and I'm not your priest I got two words for you: shut the heck up! You talk way too much... can we cut?

Marty: Yeah, I stole your story, whoop-de-doodle-do! I STOLE JASON SHEPARD'S STORY AND TURNED IT INTO BIG FAT LIAR! Do you know who's listening? Nobody and get used to it. Because I will never-ever-never-ever-ever-ever-ever-infinity tell the truth!

Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Big_Fat_Liar?oldid=1911527"