Foregoing the insincerity and self-congratulatory dourness of Brokeback Mountain, I Love You, Philip Morris may be a very important film indeed for the representation of homosexuality in mainstream cinema. Sex gags and cheap laughs abound, pinned together by a “heartwarming” story of love against the odds or something. Jim Carrey turns in a great performance and Ewan McGregor’s American accent holds up, by and large, through what is quite a capable turn as the titular love interest. Generally speaking, it’s a passable comic jape, with sporadic moments of hilarity. The film’s focus on homosexual love is its great strength, but there is little else remarkable about this feel-good fare. Diverting and inoffensive it may be, but there are much, much worse films out there, and the thematic courage of the film-makers ought to be encouraged, even if the execution is lacking.
Words: Oisin Murphy
