I Love You Phillip Morris (2009)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Joseph M

  
  Love You Phillip Morris is surprisingly one of the years funniest Comedy's. Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor are fantastic as Gay Lovers. Certainly Jim Carrey who boasts one of his best performances in years. I Love You Phillip Morris may be hard to watch, in more ways than one, but… More
  Love You Phillip Morris is surprisingly one of the years funniest Comedy's. Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor are fantastic as Gay Lovers. Certainly Jim Carrey who boasts one of his best performances in years. I Love You Phillip Morris may be hard to watch, in more ways than one, but it's plot (Based on an Amazing true story about a Gay Con artist from Texas) is worth the watch alone. I Love You Phillip Morris is Funny, Clever, Unpredictable and surprisingly heart breaking. Edit

• Melvin W

  
  Steven Russell: I love you, Phillip Morris! I love you!  "Based On A True Story... No, Really It Is" The story of Steven Russell and the man he loves, Phillip Morris, is one crazy fucking story. The film portrays it no differently. Sure it goes a little to the extreme with… More
  Steven Russell: I love you, Phillip Morris! I love you!  "Based On A True Story... No, Really It Is" The story of Steven Russell and the man he loves, Phillip Morris, is one crazy fucking story. The film portrays it no differently. Sure it goes a little to the extreme with some of the homosexual content, and that surely will make hard core Republicans squirm in their chairs. But the movie is truly funny, and one of Jim Carrey's better films and performances in the last several years. He plays Steven Russell, a character of many aspects. At the beginning of the movie, he is married with a daughter and is a Texas police officer. He knows he is gay, but is just in the closet about it. Then he tells his wife, and starts his new life as a gay man, which as he describes is really expensive. So he starts running scams and becomes a conman. Soon he finds himself in prison where he meets the love of his life, and the story just gets wackier from there.  I Love You Phillip Morris has moments where it really isn't anything special, but for most of the runtime it is entertaining. Carey and McGregor are both really good and really convincing as gay men, especially McGregor. The movie isn't really laugh out loud funny all the time, but it has moments that are really funny and many other instances where it is funny, but not in a way that will make you laugh out loud. A lot of the humor I found funny kind of embarrassed me. I still find all this gay humor hilarious and this movie doesn't skimp on it. There's a lot of sexual acts humor and a fair amount of dick related jokes as well.  This movie isn't going to win any subtlety contests, but for a story like this; the movie really did need to be over the top like this, because the real man is way over the top. Surely this won't be for everyone, but if you won't be offended by the material, which I don't see why anyone should in today's world; give it a watch. If you're a Jim Carey fan, this is a welcome sight. It's something we need from him when he brings out movies like Mr. Poppers Penguins. It isn't going to touch some of his works that made him a star, but it is heads and heels above what he has been doing for the last 10 years. Well, except for Eternal Sunshine for the Spotless Mind.

• Alice S

  
  Gayest movie ever!!! Here are two men in love who are blissfully tender with each other, their relationship and their quirks and their PDA unfettered by sociopolitical agenda, cinematic style, or practiced macho-ness. This is a love story through and through. Steve Russell's… More
  Gayest movie ever!!! Here are two men in love who are blissfully tender with each other, their relationship and their quirks and their PDA unfettered by sociopolitical agenda, cinematic style, or practiced macho-ness. This is a love story through and through. Steve Russell's escape capers are quite daring and exciting - all the more so by virtue of their veracity! Jim Carrey's receding hairline and hungry-beast stare kinda make him seem predatory at first, but he gradually delivers a wonderfully warm performance. After his final escape and Phillip asks how he knows Steve won't hurt him again, I expected a tearfully schticky "You don't," but Carrey takes a moment, his gaze lowers, his face falls, silently admitting that he, himself, doesn't know, before quietly saying, "You don't." TEARS!!!

• Directors C

  
  I love you phillip morris is brilliantly written and directed, the performances by Carrey and McGregor are truly amazing in particular Ewan McGregor playing Phillip, Steven's love interest. These two were the last people i'd expect to play a gay couple, after witnessing… More
  I love you phillip morris is brilliantly written and directed, the performances by Carrey and McGregor are truly amazing in particular Ewan McGregor playing Phillip, Steven's love interest. These two were the last people i'd expect to play a gay couple, after witnessing Carrey's "Me, Myself and Irene" and McGregor's "The Island"

• Brad W

  
  I Love You Phillip Morris may not be the perfect comedy but it sure was a good return for the funny side of Jim Carrey and it was enjoyable enough.

• Ken S

  
  Incredibly hilarious and it doesn't pull a single punch. Hands down my favorite 2nd favorite "gay" film, after A Single Man.

• Matthew S

  
  I love you Jim Carrey. If his character could have made this movie, there wouldn't be a difference. Its flamboyant, care-free direction took the kind of balls that Steven Jay Russell must have had to do all these things he did.

• ♥˩ƳИИ &

  
  Cast: Jim Carrey, Ewan McGregor, Leslie Mann, Rodrigo Santoro, Antoni Corone, Brennan Brown, Michael Mandel, Annie Golden Director: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa Summary: When upstanding Texas cop Steven Russell (Jim Carrey) realizes he's gay, he changes his entire life and… More
  Cast: Jim Carrey, Ewan McGregor, Leslie Mann, Rodrigo Santoro, Antoni Corone, Brennan Brown, Michael Mandel, Annie Golden Director: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa Summary: When upstanding Texas cop Steven Russell (Jim Carrey) realizes he's gay, he changes his entire life and pulls a series of bold con jobs that lands him in jail -- where he meets his one true love, cellmate Phillip Morris (Ewan McGregor). When Morris is transferred to another prison, lovesick Russell mounts a series of jailbreaks just to be with his beloved soul mate. Based on a true story. My Thoughts: "I thought it would be hard for me believing McGregor and Carrey in their roles. But I'm not surprised at what a great job they did in this film. They had great chemistry together. I really enjoyed the movie and thought it was very funny. Steven Russell is an eccentric person in every shape and form. He cons and lies his way through life. He does crazy things for love which would be hard to think that someone would actually do these things, but in the opening credits it says the movie is based on a true story. So to think someone went this above and beyond for love is kind of sweet in a twisted way. Phillip Morris is very sweet and vulnerable. He is a romantic at heart and just an honest person who is the complete opposite of Russell. Jim Carrey has done serious and funny films, but this is the first film I've seen him do both. He does an amazing job playing Steven Russell. He proved in this film that he has the talent to play such complex character's. I absolutely loved Ewan McGregor in the movie. He was just so good playing Phillip Morris. I definitely recommend those of you who haven't seen it or those who aren't interested to give it a shot. It may surprise you."

• Chris W

  
  This film is based on the unbelievable true story of Steven Russell, a secretly gay family man who went from being a cop to an unrepentant con man and compulsive liar. He escaped from prison roughly four times, committed all kinds of financial crimes, and eventually received one of… More
  This film is based on the unbelievable true story of Steven Russell, a secretly gay family man who went from being a cop to an unrepentant con man and compulsive liar. He escaped from prison roughly four times, committed all kinds of financial crimes, and eventually received one of the most unprecedented sentences ever given. It is such a weird and out there story that it must be fiction, but it's not. The film is funny, but it's predominately a dramedy, and the humor is of the darkly satirical variety. The film is somewhat flawed, but I still liked it and think it's worth a watch. The main issue is probably the lack of experience from the co-directors. They are making their directorial debut with this one, but they are familiar with this type of territory, having wrote Bad Santa. Even though the film is all over the place, the tone is pretty consistent, and the film is pretty sincere. Yes, there is a gay romance, but it is handled in a satisfactory way that isn't mocking or heavy handed. The real strength of this movie lies in the performances. Jim Carrey is absolutely brilliant, and he's the perfect fit for the role of the zany delusional Russell. As his lover Phillip Morris, Ewan McGregor is also quite excellent, giving off tons of charm as the naive but loveable man swept up in Russell's schemes. This is a bizarre, offbeat film, but there's something about it that makes it hard not to watch. We never quite know what Russell will do next, or if he will ever truly figure out who he really is, but he's such a screwy yet captivating character that we stick with him, even though it seems likely he's just going to end up breaking hearts and bank accounts over and over again.

• Dan S

  
  A self-satisfied movie about no one particularly likable, concerning a con-man (Jim Carrey) who has an epiphany that he has been leading a phony life and that he is indeed gay, and while in jail serving time for one of his many gigs gone wrong, meets a sweet man (Ewan McGregor) who… More
  A self-satisfied movie about no one particularly likable, concerning a con-man (Jim Carrey) who has an epiphany that he has been leading a phony life and that he is indeed gay, and while in jail serving time for one of his many gigs gone wrong, meets a sweet man (Ewan McGregor) who changes his life. While it occasionally shows flashes of promise and spurts of humor, this thing becomes the same joke after a while, that being "Well....how is he going to get out of prison this time?!!!" It becomes tired and repetitive, and Carrey's uber-eccentric performance is a big reason as to this. McGregor turns in a nice performance as the title character, but Carrey's consistent looking like his eyes are going to pop out of his skull is what gets irritating after a while. The only reason this movie skates by with a half-decent rating is that it is short and not to demanding, but even so, it is still not worth sitting through.

• Gregory D

  
  This film is more typical of Jim Carrey's new career, favoring the dramatic over the silly. The film was interesting, however it is about a romance between two men, so if that bugs you then don't bother watching.

• Coxxie M

  
  "a smile is a flower on your face."

• Thomas J

  
  Horrible, horrible, horrible! The accents grated me worse than masturbating with a cheese grater! Jim Carrey only has 2 styles of acting 1. sucks 2. sucks even more and this is ALL #2 - literally #2!!

• Kase V

  
  It may be alienating at some points, but 'I Love You, Phillip Morris' is a largely rewarding film for those willing to give it a shot. Beautifully shot, written, and acted, the film gives off a lighthearted tone, even though its implications are much more dramatic. Carrey… More
  It may be alienating at some points, but 'I Love You, Phillip Morris' is a largely rewarding film for those willing to give it a shot. Beautifully shot, written, and acted, the film gives off a lighthearted tone, even though its implications are much more dramatic. Carrey and McGregor show off kinetic talent in their performances, both doing equally well with the comedic and dramatic aspects of the film. A little over-the-top, a little alienating, comic, dramatic, and film lovers in general may find that 'I Love You, Phillip Morris' has a lot to offer.

• Tim S

  
  Better than I thought it would be. Powered through by a great performance by Jim Carrey, the film does have some plot holes that make it a bumpy ride all the same. Supposedly based upon a true story, the filmmaking rides the edge of being a dark comedy with touches of well played out… More
  Better than I thought it would be. Powered through by a great performance by Jim Carrey, the film does have some plot holes that make it a bumpy ride all the same. Supposedly based upon a true story, the filmmaking rides the edge of being a dark comedy with touches of well played out human drama with some very head scratch inducing moments of blatant disregard for rational storytelling. Almost as if it would have been better off simply telling the story instead of bashing the viewer over the head with it's obvious political overtones.

• Emily A

  
  What a damn confusing title for a romantic comedy: I thought it was going to be some sort of ironic love letter to the tobacco manufacturer. This movie really stayed with me. I was really impressed by the performances, as well as the very premise of this. I wish it hadn't gotten… More
  What a damn confusing title for a romantic comedy: I thought it was going to be some sort of ironic love letter to the tobacco manufacturer. This movie really stayed with me. I was really impressed by the performances, as well as the very premise of this. I wish it hadn't gotten stuck in distribution hell for so long. What, it can't be a Blockbuster comedy just because its protagonist sucks dick? Jim Carrey stars as a gay man with expensive tastes, a dazzling aptitude for white-collar crime and no sense of responsibility. He seems oblivious to the fact that his various wheelings and dealings are hurting the one he loves most, a sweet sugar baby played by Ewan McGregor. Steve, being gay is not expensive. Being gay the way you think people are supposed to be gay is expensive. And you're an idiot to think you need the flamboyant lifestyle to be happy if you've got Phillip. Anyway, this movie has a bunch of different stories going on, but it balances all the stories perfectly. The romance really resonates, the capers and jailbreaks are thrilling and the comedic moments are genuinely hilarious. I think the critics are absolutely right to call this one of the best performances of Jim Carrey's career.

• Cynthia S

  
  Rather touching, and twisted...yet very interesting story based on the exploits of a real life con man. This is a movie that could have been very serious, but with Jim Carrey's flair it is anything but that. Great actors. Great story. I had to avert my eyes a couple of times, but… More
  Rather touching, and twisted...yet very interesting story based on the exploits of a real life con man. This is a movie that could have been very serious, but with Jim Carrey's flair it is anything but that. Great actors. Great story. I had to avert my eyes a couple of times, but that's ok...lol. Quirky, and fun to watch.

• Randy T

  
  An unflattering true-life romp through the Texas Department of Corrections. Carrey and McGregor are 'fabulous'!

• First L

  
  Ads for this film might mislead one into thinking it's a comedy about a straight man (Jim Carrey) who realizes he's gay while serving time in prison. Actually, it's the life story of Steven Russell, one of the great conmen of our time. After a near fatal car accident,… More
  Ads for this film might mislead one into thinking it's a comedy about a straight man (Jim Carrey) who realizes he's gay while serving time in prison. Actually, it's the life story of Steven Russell, one of the great conmen of our time. After a near fatal car accident, former police officer Russell decides to live his life out of the closet and for himself. He leaves his wife and child, and moves to Florida where he finds the gay lifestyle to be "expensive". In order to pay for this lifestyle, he began a life of fraud that eventually landed him in prison, which is where he meets the Phillip Morris from the title. One of the remarkable things about Steven Russell is the lengths he goes through to escape prison, something he did numerous times. In fact, for most of the film, Russell is either in prison or breaking out of it. There is a love story here too, as Phillip Morris (Ewan McGregor) is, I guess, the prison version of a delicate southern flower, in need of a man's protection. The turbulent romance between Morris and Russell takes center stage, and it's here the film shines. However, while it is a serious film of an amazing true story, there's a certain air of unreality about it. The gay stuff is often times played up for laughs or shock value, when in reality it seems like the least remarkable thing about Russell's life. "I Love You Phillip Morris" tries to be too many things at once, and while it's certainly entertaining, it might've benefited from a little toning down.

• Steven C

  
  While Jim Carrey and Ewen McGregor turn in some terrific performance, I found "I Love You, Phillip Morris" to be exceedingly scattered. I had no idea what they were trying to say with this film. It's based on a true story, a very sad and disturbing true story when you… More
  While Jim Carrey and Ewen McGregor turn in some terrific performance, I found "I Love You, Phillip Morris" to be exceedingly scattered. I had no idea what they were trying to say with this film. It's based on a true story, a very sad and disturbing true story when you think about it, that they craft into a sort of romantic comedy. Normally I love harsh juxtapositions in films but the tone of the events and the way they are ultimately told make no sense together. I wasn't sure what I was supposed to be feeling at any given moment. Should I be elated that they have found true love? Should I be laughing that he is as disturbed a man that he will fake his death from AIDS? This would be one thing if it was a fictional story, but it's not. These things happened, (the opening credits reinforce that statement for you, twice) and I just can't find it funny. One thing I really look for in a film is cohesion and "I Love You, Phillip Morris" has none of that. It may be an energetic film, and Carrey is doing some fine work, but I found it wildly alienating.

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