“I Love You Phillip Morris” be- gins as a seemingly standard story of an ordinary man, Steven Russell (Jim Carrey). He has a beautiful wife, an adorable daughter, a steady job as a police officer and is even a church organist. The real drama begins with a car crash that shakes Steven, into living life as his true self: a flamboyantly gay man. Steven adopts a lavish lifestyle and becomes a con man; he moves to Florida, finds a Latin boyfriend, and seems to be living his dream, until the law finally catches up with him and he lands in a Texas jail.
Once incarcerated, he falls in love at first sight with Phillip Morris (Ewan McGregor), the sweet, perpetually optimistic, soft-spoken Southerner. Phillip Morris is the love of his life, and Steven will go to any lengths to be with him.
The most unbelievable aspect of the film is that it is based on a true story. All of the insane situations that Steven pulls through are based on true events, from be- coming a CFO with absolutely no financial experience to coloring a prison jumpsuit green to escape from jail by impersonating a nurse. The real Steven Russell is currently serving a 144-year sentence for his numerous crimes, 119 of which are for his four successful prison escapes.
Instead of going for the generic Hollywood crowd-pleaser that he has been inclined to make in the last few years, Carrey took a risk with an unconventional romantic comedy and the gamble paid off. He is hysterical but also emotional; Carrey’s usual over-the-top style serves him well with the un- believable tomfoolery of his character. McGregor’s performance also deserves high praise. Phil- lip Morris is totally naÔve, having been locked up for keeping a rental car too long, but McGregor makes his innocence convincing, and Phillip’s trust in Steven never wavers.
Steven so easily dupes Phillip that he doesn’t question a Christmas bonus in July. Phillip lacks any semblance of common sense, but he is so guiltless and gentle that his lack of even basic observation skills is endearing.
Steven pursues Phillip from the very beginning, paying to have “the screamer” in the next cell beaten into silence in what Phil- lip calls “the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me.” The love between the two men seems so real that all other aspects of their twisted relationship are irrelevant. You end up rooting for them because they so obviously just want to be together. Steven promises Phillip that he will take care of him for the rest of his life, and each time Steven is forced to break this vow is heartbreaking.
Also, rather than focusing on the pair’s homosexuality, the film is simply a love story. While the sexual aspect of the movie is completely un- apologetic, being gay is never the joke.
Overall, the film is fast- paced and consistently funny. Each con becomes more and more elaborate and unbelievable, but Steven retains the confidence and panache of a classic swindler throughout his schemes.
Steven’s poise rarely wavers; he ends up in prison, jobs he doesn’t understand, situations that seem
as if the odds are simply stacked too highly against him or his luck should have run out ages ago, but he pulls off every impossible ploy with the desperate ease of a man who does everything out of love. “I Love You Phillip Morris” is fun, funny, touching and one of the most enjoyable movies of the year so far.