i love YOU phillip Morris!

I also LOVE Ewan Mcgregor and Jim Carrey... What a unique pair that come together to create this wonderfully original and colourful movie.
"I love you Phillip Morris" is a black comedy based on real events.
It is written and directed by John Requa and Glenn Ficarra,(they also wrote "Bad Santa" 10 years ago which I promptly walked out of)
The boys have got a little wiser and managed to deliver on all fronts. Great writing,banging soundtrack and spot on performances.
The movie centres around the life and times of Stephen Jay Russell. Stephen is currently serving two consecutive life sentences for several fraud and con artist convictions.
Prior to his incarceration,Russell covered ALOT of ground.As a young man he simultaneously discovered he was not only gay but that he was adopted. His attempt to live the "straight" life in suburbia with wife and child is short lived when his penchant for penis becomes all too consuming.
From here we begin to see Russell as a Robin Hood of sorts. Yes he does willingly rob from the rich but this is mostly to satisfy the needs of others. Interestingly enough, children who are adopted often feel an enormous sense of rejection. In this way,they often become people pleasers to attempt to gain that illusive sense of acceptance.
Its in jail,that Russell meets Morris ;the love of his life. The pair quickly hit it off. It soon becomes apparent this meeting of souls was written in the stars.
Russell goes onto do a lot of crazy shit in order to keep his man by his side. From pretending he is a lawyer to faking his own death from AIDS.
No mean feat!
This is a movie of stark contrasts.
The deliberate use of bright colours in grim places like jail ultimately gives the movie an uplifting feel.
The cheeky sex scenes set to 80's music make you giggle rather than squirm.
For me as always,its all about the performances. Both these actors avoided obvious gay stereotypes.
Jim Carey's ability to do drama and comedy equally well is unique in Hollywood. Carey gives it absolutely everything in this movie. His maturation as an actor shows depth and originality to each part he pursues. I love you and I forgive you for "The Mask"
I had only ever seen Ewan Mcgregor before in "Trainspotting." Sure,it was so good he could have retired right there and then;but Im glad he didn't. Mcgregor as "Morris" oozed his adoration for Russell like a helpless puppy dog. He was completely present in the role and there was not one hint of Scottish heroin addict anywhere.
Yummy Mexican actor Rodrigo Santoro was outstanding as Russells first gay lover. A small but powerfully important role for this up and comer.
"I love you Phillip Morris" takes you on many unexpected turns and you may get a little dizzy. Dont worry,trust it and remember in the immortal words of Oprah "The chance to love and be loved exists no matter where you are."

JAX