Big Fat Liar
Universal Pictures | Release Date: February 8, 2002 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
36
METASCORE
Generally unfavorable reviews based on 24 Critic Reviews
Positive:
5
Mixed:
9
Negative:
10
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
75
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
A surprisingly entertaining movie -- one of those good-hearted comedies like "Spy Kids" where reality is put on hold while bright teenagers outsmart the best and worst the adult world has to offer. It's ideal for younger kids, and not painful for their parents. Read full review
70
Film ThreatHeather Wadowski
A hilarious film for anyone who remembers lying as a kid-- and anyone who wants to see a movie that's just plain fun. Read full review
70
Washington PostMichael O'Sullivan
An innocent comedic revenge fantasy that somehow manages to be sweet and wickedly satisfying at the same time. Read full review
67
Seattle Post-IntelligencerEllen A. Kim
The film gets snaps just by attempting the high road, and should be enjoyed by its target audience. Read full review
63
Philadelphia InquirerSteven Rea
A harmless and mildly amusing family comedy. Read full review
60
TV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonagh
Fresh-faced leads Muniz and Bynes are charmers, Giamatti makes Wolf into a splendidly loathsome adversary, and the film is refreshingly free of bodily function jokes. Read full review
50
Chicago TribuneRobert K. Elder
Plays so flat, so to close its "movie message" formula, that it seems as if we've seen this movie before. Read full review
50
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Liam Lacey
Big Fat Liar becomes a progression of increasingly elaborate slapstick stunts, in the brutal, noisy "Home Alone" vein, in which the complexity of the pranks rarely yields a commensurate comic reward. Read full review
50
San Francisco ChronicleMick LaSalle
The result is a children's movie that's almost worth seeing even when not accompanied by a child. It's certainly a painless experience, and at times it's quite funny. Read full review
50
The New York TimesStephen Holden
If Ms. Bynes keeps going in this direction, she can conceivably develop a gallery of characters as rich and varied as Tracey Ullman's. Read full review
50
SalonDamien Cave
Generally succeeds. But with just a bit more effort the movie might have been funnier and a lot more fun. Read full review
50
USA TodayClaudia Puig
Not so admirably, the film feels at times like a giant commercial for Universal Studios. Read full review
40
Austin ChronicleKimberley Jones
The movie scores some laughs, all of which come from the expert Giamatti. Read full review
40
Los Angeles TimesJan Stuart
Screenwriter Dan Schneider and director Shawn Levy substitute volume and primary colors for humor and bite. Granted, it's a kids' flick, but kids today have enough savvy about the movie industry to report for Variety. Read full review
38
Boston GlobeJay Carr
Offers little in the way of pleasure, even to its target audience -- the easily pleased and undemanding. Read full review
38
Charlotte ObserverLawrence Toppman
What starts as a cute premise crashes faster than a skateboard with an oak branch shoved between its wheels. Read full review
25
New York Daily NewsJami Bernard
There are lame comedies, and then there is Big Fat Liar, which is so lame that it merits its own reserved parking space.
25
New York PostLou Lumenick
Loud and unfunny, this cheesy-looking farce is mostly an excuse for a series of plugs. Read full review
25
Entertainment WeeklyOwen Gleiberman
How appealing is Muniz, taking a break from ''Malcolm in the Middle,'' a day job he should by no means let go of? Read full review
25
ReelViewsJames Berardinelli
A lame collection of dumber-than-dumb gags, the quality of Big Fat Liar is on par with that of the worst television sit-com gorged to four times its normal size. Read full review
20
VarietyRobert Koehler
Though Muniz and Bynes make a somewhat likable team, their funniest skills are dampened by the material's insistent stupidity. Read full review
20
L.A. WeeklyJohn Dentino
Old people are made to look ridiculous; clowns are brutalized; characters talk in rapid-fire vaudeville shtick. Read full review
20
The A.V. ClubNathan Rabin
Big Fat Liar's screenplay, co-written by Robbins and fellow Head Of The Class alumnus Dan Schneider, is a model of comic inefficiency. Like a Rube Goldberg contraption, it goes to excruciating, wildly implausible lengths for the flimsiest of payoffs. Read full review
10
New Times (L.A.)Robert Wilonsky
A bland, obnoxious 88-minute infomercial for Universal Studios. Read full review
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