Kids' movies generally adhere to certain patterns. The moviegoer can usually expect to see uneven performances from any child actor, messages that are obvious and somewhat puritanical and conclusions that are more predictable than the arrival of the iceberg in \Titanic."" ""Big Fat Liar"" is no exception, but it still manages to be fairly entertaining.
The story centers around Jason Shepherd (Frankie Muniz). Jason is a 14-year-old who is forced to attend summer school after he fails to hand in a school essay he accidentally left in the limousine of movie producer Marty Wolf (Paul Giamatti). Jason's parents and teacher don't believe his story, but when Jason sees on TV that Wolf is making his essay into a movie, he and his friend Kaylee (Amanda Bynes) decide to run to Los Angeles to get the truth out of Wolf. Once in Los Angeles, they find Wolf to be uncooperative and proceed to launch a barrage of pranks on him.
The movie starts off slowly, but becomes palatable and even entertaining as it goes on. At first, Muniz seems uncomfortable playing a mischievous protagonist in the ""Dennis the Menace"" mold instead of the endearing character he plays on ""Malcolm in the Middle."" But as the movie progresses, he trades the ineffective wisecracks and half-hearted belligerence that mar the first half-hour for a more relaxed and clever approach that is likeable without being an exact duplicate of his TV character. Meanwhile, Bynes, who on TV acts like she needs to cut back on her sugar intake, manages to restrain herself and play it straight to Muniz's high-strung character, albeit by acting like a miniature 30-year-old.
""Big Fat Liar"" also features solid performances from adult actors. Giamatti makes for the perfect cartoonishly evil villain in a kids' movie. Donald Faison also demonstrates some of the charm he displays on NBC's ""Scrubs."" Jaleel White, familiar to viewers as Steve Urkel from ""Family Matters,"" also plays a solid, self-mocking role as himself.
In the end, Big Fat Liar manages to avoid any major pitfalls. Twists in the plot are predictable, but still entertaining. The ending is obvious, but satisfying nonetheless. The cast and acting performances are better than one might expect from a live action kids' movie, and the messages of the movie are solid. Even aspects of the movie that in another context could be objectionable, like the glorification of a couple of 14-year-olds running away from home or the revealing clothes worn by the 15-year-old Bynes, are offset by the innocent naivet?? and utter lack of sexuality in the movie. While it may not be ideal viewing for an audience past puberty, parents need not dread taking their children to see ""Big Fat Liar.\
