If you’ve only heard that Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor play gay in I Love You Phillip Morris, then you are in for a pleasant surprise.  Sexuality is not the true focus of the film, which opens in limited release this weekend and expands nationwide on December 10.  

Carrey is Steven Russell, a jubilant con man that thrives and survives on lies, and McGregor is Phillip Morris (no relation whatsoever to the tobacco company), the man who captures Steven’s heart and motivates his every move. Together they make quite an entertaining pair in this unusual romantic comedy, written and directed by Bad Santa screenwriters Glenn Ficarra and John Requa.

I Love You Phillip Morris is, at its core, a happier version of Catch Me If You Can. Both films are based on real individuals who successfully evaded the law, but the difference is that Steven Russell enjoyed the thrill of the chase far more than Frank Abagnale, Jr. 

It is refreshing to see McGregor clearly enjoying his role as a sweet and naïve character. Carrey manages to avoid the typical histrionics - he plays Russell with an appropriate degree of mirth; it is easy to comprehend exactly what and who influenced his actions. 

There are only a few sexual encounters in I Love You Phillip Morris, including one between Carrey and the reliably hilarious Leslie Mann (who plays his future ex-wife), and all were designed for laughs. The film is nothing like Brokeback Mountain; it is a lighthearted love story featuring the familiar and friendly faces of Ace Ventura and Obi-Wan Kenobi….and Paulo from Lost.

It is unlikely that I Love You Phillip Morris will make many top 10 lists this year, but if you’re seeking a reprieve from the darker Oscar-caliber films that debut around the holidays, this film is the perfect escape. 

[photos courtesy of Roadside Attractions]