MovieChat Forums > Liar Liar (1997) Discussion > Missed Opportunity With Truth - Possible...

Missed Opportunity With Truth - Possible Plot Hole/Goof

posted 3 years ago by The LA Baker (971)
14 replies | jump to latest

It is established that he cannot tell a lie regardless of if he has actual knowledge in regards, case, and point, the "I have to pee" scene in court. The judge asks, "can it wait?" and he replies "yes, it can", but follows up with "But holding it in can make it difficult to pee or even get an erection". The judge asks "Is that true?" to which he responds, ""It has to be".

That means he can only speak universal truths, not just things that are true as far as he is concerned.

That means he can find out all the world's mysteries.

E.g. He could attempt to say "Aliens have been visiting earth for..." and if he can say it then it must be true.

[–] GreenGoblinsOck8 (7699) 3 years ago

He says he's read it. So it could be a lie. But he doesn't know.

[–] MovieChatUser497 (18943) 3 years ago

It’s only a lie if you know it’s not true.

[–] The LA Baker (971) 3 years ago

You didn't pay attention to the film or comprehend my post(if you bothered to read it all).

[–] Corneileous (399) 3 years ago

I guess it would just be a matter of how much you want to look into it because for that whole 24 hours, he can’t lie so who knows, maybe he just can’t lie if he knows it’s a lie. I remember at one point in the movie where he tells somebody he can’t even ask the question if he knows the answer is a lie so there is that, too. But it’s awful funny just like how when he was telling his kid when he asked him if wrestling was fake and he basically said that real wrestling is real but the wrestling like WWF was not. Is WWE, WWF or WCW truly fake or is he just saying that because he thinks it is?

For some reason, I could actually see the birthday wish being possible but I don’t see how that would all the sudden make him have all the answers to where he truly cannot tell a lie because if he doesn’t know something is true or a lie, how could this birthday wish keep him from telling a lie if he doesn’t know whatever it was in question is a lie? Somebody could’ve asked him if daddy long leg spiders were actually spiders and if he’s just like almost everybody else who thinks that daddy long leg spiders are spiders, how would his son’s birthday wish keep him from saying a daddy long legs spider is not a spider if he doesn’t know?

[–] Ace_Spade (9544) 3 years ago

Wrestling's fake.

[–] Corneileous (399) 3 years ago

Not all of it… Lol. When they throw each other off the top rope like that onto a stack of tables, that’s not CGI. When they bodyslam each other, I don’t care if there is a springboard underneath that mat, they’re still slamming each other down.

But hey, if you still think it’s fake then volunteer to go hop in the ring with one of them and let us know how “fake” it is… Lol.

[–] Ace_Spade (9544) 3 years ago

That's not what people mean when they say it's "fake". What they mean is that the fight is choreographed, the punches are pulled, and the results are pre-determined. It's not an athletic contest, it's a show.

[–] The LA Baker (971) 3 years ago

That may be what YOU mean, but it is most certainly not the way most people perceive "wrestling is fake". They think is it literally fake. As in, no risk of injury and no real pain.

[–] Ace_Spade (9544) 3 years ago

That may be, but I'll stand by my statement that wrestling is fake under those terms.

[–] Martoto (5024) 3 years ago

He said he'd read that this had been reported by others. As far as he knows it's true, which is why he could say it.

[–] The LA Baker (971) 3 years ago

That makes no sense. As a lawyer, he could easily reword things to fit that version of "telling the truth" in court.

[–] Martoto (5024) 3 years ago

Except he knows that all his clients are liars that need to hire a liar like him.

[–] The LA Baker (971) 3 years ago

True, but he could still reword things to make it fit your definition of "telling the truth". Clearly, that was not an option, or are you suggesting that is another failure in the logic/writing?

[–] Martoto (5024) 3 years ago

He can't pose a question to his client if he knows that the answer they will tell is not true. He can reword the question all he wants. In order to make his clients case though he still needs them to deny infidelity etc in court , which he knows is untrue and cannot prompt them to say it.

It's not really meant to be logical though. I mean, he eventually flips and starts badgering the guy on the witness stand "You porked her didn't you?!!!!" So did he anticipate that the witness would cave in, stop lying and admit to it? Because if the guy just stood his ground then it would have broken the "no question to which the answer is a lie" rule, no matter how compelled he was to get him to admit the truth.