Fourteen-year-old Jason Shepherd, played by Frankie Muniz, confronts movie producer Marty Wolf, played by Paul Giamatti, over a stolen idea in the motion picture "Big Fat Liar." (Gannett News Service/Universal Studios). Big Fat Liar Starring: Frankie Muniz, Amanda Bynes, Paul Giamatti. Director: Shawn Levy. Rated PG: Language. Running time: 88 minutes. view the trailer | official website

'Liar' has lots of laughs

by Margaret A. McGurk, Cincinatti Enquirer

Propelled by two charming young stars and a hilarious bad guy, "Big Fat Liar" wins its age group big time.

This pint-sized revenge fantasy taps into common youthful frustrations - bullies and skeptical parents - and spins them into a tale of scores settled and lessons learned (the lesson being, "Don't lie to your parents.")

Frankie Muniz, the teen-aged star of the "Malcolm in The Middle" TV series, sets things in motion as Jason Shepherd, a smart kid who spends more energy on outlandish excuses for not doing his homework than on actual homework.

His wayward creativity destroys his parents' trust in him, so they don't believe him when he says that a Hollywood producer stole his latest assignment.

Months later, Jason sees ads for an upcoming movie based on his paper and recruits his best friend Kaylee (Amanda Bynes of the TV series "All That") to go with him to Hollywood to set the producer straight.

Paul Giamatti plays producer Marty Wolf, "the meanest man in the world," with dastardly comic skill. Snarling insults at every person who crosses his path, making small talk with his stuffed monkey or performing a hilarious pre-swim poolside dance to "Hungry Like the Wolf," he is despicable and hysterical at the same time.

You can bust a gut hating this guy.