I really enjoyed it. It's not incredibly original and borrows a lot from the similarly-themed Catch Me If You Can, but it's a lot of fun and takes some ridiculous and unpredictable twists along the way that keep it fresh and exciting. Jim Carrey is excellent here in a role that tailors to both his comedic and dramatic sensibilities as an actor - it's a difficult role to play and he nails it in every sense of the word. He's equally hilarious and charismatic, delivering one of his strongest performances in years. Ewan McGregor's performance is great as well, he nails the comedy here and also makes the audience sympathize with Phillip and understand Steven's inherent fascination with him. Leslie Mann is also memorable in a fun supporting turn. This isn't going to win any awards, but it's a fun and incredibly entertaining madcap comedy that should find an audience when it's eventually released. B+

I Love You, Phillip Morris is a very funny chronicle on the life story of Steven Russell who is portrayed here by Jim Carrey. The film is very offbeat and ridiculous but it does find some room for heart at times. The chemistry between Carrey and Ewan McGregor is strong and Carrey gives one of his best performances here. There are some side-splitting moments and this really is just a great film. ***

Steven Russell is a confidence artist serving a life sentence in a Texas prison. He won't see I Love You Phillip Morris, an entertaining, well-acted film based on his life, including his various criminal misadventures and his romance with Morris. Russell met Phillip Morris (no relation to the cigarette manufacturer) in prison. It was love at first sight, and Russell spent the next several years fighting to stay with Morris, despite a series of criminal plots and subsequent arrests.

As Steven Russell, Jim Carrey delivers a fantastic performance. He's proven his comic and dramatic abilities, and this is a role which lets him put both to good use. As Morris, Ewan McGregor slips with ease into the role of a blonde-haired/blue-eyed, simple, and sweet Southern man. He and Carrey share a warm chemistry, which is key to the film's success. The film also refuses to play their love for low-brow laughs ("Obi-Wan Kenobi blowing Ace Ventura!"); rather, it treats Russell and Morris' love with respect. Supporting players Leslie Mann, as Steven Russell's ex-wife, and Rodrigo Santoro, as his first long-term gay lover (who dies of AIDS), are fine, though both could have been utilized more.

It is hard to categorize I Love You Phillip Morris. Calling it a light drama may be best. D.P. Xavier Pérez Grobet's (Music and Lyrics) lensing is bright, the pace is swift, and Russell's schemes are never explored with a great deal of depth (they are treated more as comic set pieces, full of broad bad behavior and near-misses), but there are also moments of intense emotion throughout. By the end, I felt for Morris and, despite his misdeeds, Russell. The fact he is serving a sentence of well over 100 years is a gut punch; this is a man who never used a gun, just his mind, his smile, and his ability to see ways to manipulate the system. He's comparable to Catch Me If You Can's Frank Abagnale and The Informant!'s Mark Whitacre, other real-life cons turned film protagonists, both of whom are now free men.

B+

Totally deserves its WGA nomination.

And Jim Carrey may have delivered his best performance yet.

This is an excellent, funny, and surprising film that sorely deserves to be seen.

B+


It's a very enjoyable movie that sadly was never going to get a chance simply due to the homosexual angle of the plot. That sucks since the film is not much different from, say, Catch Me If You Can. In fact, it is actually pretty much like Catch Me If You Can just with the emphasis not places on the con artist's family issues, but on the love story - which happens to be with another man.

What I really really liked was that the relationship between McGregor's Phillip Morris and Carrey's Steven Russell is never played for laughs and actually feels genuine and sweet. I also loved that no extra emphasis was put on the fact that it was a homosexual love story. The film just doesn't make a big deal out of it treating it just as a normal relationship and I liked it for that.

Ewan McGregor does a fine job as Morris, but the movie is Jim Carrey's show from start to finish. It's really a huge shame that Johnny Depp was able to score two Golden Globes nominations this year for Best Actor (Comedy/Musical) at the Globes, whereas Carrey was snubbed for one of his career best performances. It becomes even moreso weird if you consider that the Globes not only have nominated and awarded Carrey in the past, they also chose to nominate two actors from similarly tiny films in that category (Giamatti for Barney's Vision and Spacey for Casino Jack). It's really an injustice that Carrey's performance receives so little attention, but I assume that playing gay only gives you awards attention if you do it in a dramatic role and not in a comedic one.

It's not a perfect film. Leslie Mann's character is completely underutilized and I would have liked for it to go more in-depth about Russell's different con schemes (though I really loved the whole AIDS-twist....well played!). It is entertaining and well-acted enough to make you forget about these flaws, though.

If released by a bigger studio that actually made an effort this could have easily scored Jim Carrey a Best Actor (Comedy) nomination at the Globes. I'll never understand why someone like Focus Features didn't pick this up. The very least I could have seen it doing if it were advertised and given a wider release would be 30 Million. It could have gone as high as 60 though. It's really frustrating because this was a hugely wasted opportunity. A well-reviewed film with a big star getting the shaft so badly? It makes no sense. The homosexual angle would have prevented it from being another 100 Million blockbuster for Jim, but it wouldn't have done poorly by any means.

I really enjoyed it. Jim Carrey was great.

B/B+

Jesus! Gunslinger pointed out to me the Redbox reviews for this movie. How offensive. They are all beyond awful and it's clear it's because of the gay content. Boy are people disappointed Jim would make this movie.

Check them out: http://www.redbox.com/movies/i-love-you-phillip-morris

I know!

I have to post some of these.

i always loved jim carey, till now!!! OMG!!! i cant belive he did a movie like this. GROSS!! i have lost all respect for him.. would give no stars, but the system wont allow it! YUCK!!! i want my $1.09 back from REDBOX!

This movie is very graphic. I never watched the whole thing through.

awful! Won't enjoy carey in any role after this.

A disgusting movie about gay sex and sodomy in a Texas prison. As a Texan, a father of 6 and fan of Carrey's previous movies, I was dumbfounded at the attrocity of this film. I could not ever sit down even with my adult children to watch this junk! Carrey stooped way low to do this kind of acting.

Too much kissing and stuff and not getting to real substance of the true story.These two must have really been out of work for awhile.

I wish I read the reviews before wasting my time and money. We couldn't get through the first 15 minutes. I would give no stars, but the system will not allow.

this movie was turned off with 3 minutes. It is vulgar and rude. Jim Carrey . PURE GARBAGE

horrible.the whole thing was horrible, not just the gay stuff, but EVERYTHING ABOUT IT!!!

gross....thanks for letting me know. I admire Jim Carrey he is a somewhat entertaining actor - but this????? yuck - should have read more review before renting

Should've read the reviews before renting a movie based on the actors. Not a good Jim Carrey movie at all.

Wow. Porn in a mainstream movie? The first 15 min left me curious as to what this was about and then it happened... What a disgrace! I think everyone has a right to make a movie, sure... but, to not tell you, "A movie about a family man who is a closet homosexual that ruins everyones life around him

could not believe that Jim Carey actually read the script and agreed to do this movie....The description of the movie didn't fit...wish someone would have warned me...wasted a dollar...would like for Jim to send me a check for a refund. NO STARS...WAITING FOR MY CHECK

I hate to even give this movie a half a star...Jim let us down on this one...some movies are just not worth doing...JUST NASTY(In my Mr. Brown's voice)!

just wrong

Awful beyond belief. I went into this not knowing anything about the story and don't know why I even watched the whole thing, just expected it to get better. WRONG. NO STARS from me either.

This was horrible. Never care to see another Jim Carey movie again. Nothing but Porn and it should not have been rated R. NO STARS!!!!!

Every min. of this movie was disgusting! Since when are pornographic movies rated R? The porn was not the only bad part. The guy was a liar, a cheat and a thief and he ruined the life of everyone who came near him. Where is the comedy in that? His pathetic, depraved life was nothing to glorify!

DERANGED...... NO STARS!

I love Jim Carrey but this was one of the 10 worst movies I have ever seen. What happened? I hope this one does not spell the end of his career because he has done such GREAT stuff.

This was just HORRIBLE.... had no idea that this was homosexual porn either. I read the description that was on this movie I had no idea. Five minutes in the movie I was sitting in shock!!! I sooooooooooo did NOT want to watch that filthy mess. I ejected it and returned it.

Terrible movie, I misunderstood it being a comedy, not the Jim Carrey I’m used to. NOT RECOMMENDED for anyone.

the worst movie I ever tried to watch and didn't get far and shut it off

Not the best movie, for anyone! If you can get past the homosexual porn throughout the movie, there are a couple of funny parts. However, those funny parts are few and far between. Very disappointed in this movie & with Jim Carrey

Do Not Rent! Turned the movie off after 10 minutes, completely disgusted with Jim Carrey.

Nothing in the movie's description gives any clue to the renter that he's about to rent a movie about homosexuals. I was appalled in the first 5 minutes and then turned it off. If Jim Carey wants to play such a role, fine. But shouldn't one want to know before renting what it is really about?

Lol at the last one. Only the title, and poster and tagline, but I guess those are subtle.

LOL! Those are ridiculous. The movie wasn't even that graphic.

But you have to take into account that it would be graphic if you're a homophobes who can't even handle seeing two guys hold hands or kiss, let alone do anything sexual.

The title confuses people, too, I'm sure. Obviously most people aren't going to assume "Phillip Morris" is just referring to a random person.

I think this movie is horrible and should be removed from all places being sold. I couldn't even get through the first part of the movie. I THINK THIS MOVIE DESERVES A BIG ZERO.

This movie was absolutely horrible...redbox really needs to explain more in depth what these movies are about in detail....I hated this movie...I will never watch another movie with Jim Carey in it. If I was in the movies, I would have walked out and demaned my money be returned.

This movie should be taken from the shelves. That was disgusting, and unwatchable! 5 thumbs down!

I am disappointed with Jim Carrey, he is one of my favorite comedians, I only watched the first 15 minutes and vomited. I have all of his dvds and I didnt realize what this movie was about. But I'll just end this note with "I guess he had to stay in character" ;(

Absolutely a horrible movie! Couldn't make it 30 minutes!! Jim Carrey really let me down in this..I was shocked and disgusted...should've been more of an explanation of what it was about...Bad movie. No stars for me either!!

I could not believe my eyes! I could not even watch this movie. It completely turned my stomach!!! I think RED BOX should remove it. I would not give this movie a star rating at all if it were possible. Don't waste your money!!!

Jim really shouldn't have acted in this movie. He is a great actor and this is a horrible movie!

I was shocked at the movie not funny at all jim is a good funny person not a good gay guy. Dont waste ur money

WTF were Jim Carrey & Ewan McGregor thinking when they signed on for this movie? This just ended their careers.

the worst movie I have EVER seen in my life. I never want to see Jim again. I even hate to give this movie a 1/2 star.

Save your money and get this at your nearest Redbox... so you can throw it at Jim Carey when you see him. If you've seen "Brüno" and enjoyed it than maybe this one's for you.


This has a 2 of 5 star average right now. If any of you guys have a Redbox account you should add your two cents.

Wow, those Reviews are pathetic.

I, on the other hand loved this. Funny and emotional, great performances from the two leads. It hit all the right notes for me.

8.5/10