MovieChat Forums > Liar Liar (1997) Discussion > Did Fletcher actually lie at one point w...

Did Fletcher actually lie at one point when he was supposed to be incapable of lying?

posted 3 years ago by TMC-4 (19579)
9 replies | jump to latest

Here is the exchange:

*"Mr. Reede. Several years ago, a friend had a burglar on her roof. A burglar! He fell through the skylight, landed on a butcher's knife, cutting his leg. The burglar sued my friend. He sued my friend ! Because of guys like you, he won! My friend had to pay the burglar $6,000. ls that justice?"

*"No. l'd have got him ten."

*"Good-bye, Mr. Reede."

*"No, no, no wait! l didn't understand the question! Ask me again!"

He answered truthfully because he understood the question, but then immediately lied saying that he didn't understand.

[–] SpikeMike (470) 3 years ago

I see you look at Reddit. There are already plenty of explanations there which easily explain this.

[–] hootiehome (432) 3 years ago

I don't look at Reddit, but have talked about this with others. What do they say about it?

[–] SpikeMike (470) 3 years ago

Basically lawyered it by saying he assumed she was talking of how much the man was compensated rather whether it was fair that the friend had to pay at all.

[–] hootiehome (432) 3 years ago

Hmmm. Not sure I'm on board. They way he said it made it sound like he's was saying anything to get her from leaving. I say lie!!

[–] Ace_Spade (9458) 3 years ago

I don't think he lied. It's possible he was just being snarky with the first answer and not even "answering" at all, but then that "I didn't understand the question" might just demonstrate his warped sense of morality where he isn't separating "law" from "justice", or more accurately stated, he might believe that whatever he can convince a judge and/or jury of in a courtroom *is* justice.

[–] avortac4 (3676) 3 years ago

He did NOT understand the question's purpose, intent or point - he got it all wrong. He thought she was asking something completely different than what she was actually asking.

So it's completely honest and truthful to say, "I didn't understand the question".

If someone asks you about your car, and you answer about your car, but then you realize he wasn't really asking about your car, he was asking about your finances, you can say you didn't understand the question even if you had literally answered the question right - from YOUR perspective and wrongful understanding of the question.

How can people take THIS thing of all possibilities as the part where Fletcher lied? I think there are such parts, but this is not one of those.

[–] Ace_Spade (9458) 3 years ago

I dunno. It's been awhile since I've seen the movie, so, I'm mostly just going off of the situation as-described.

Ultimately, though, it was just a screwy movie designed as an excuse to show off the '90s-popular Jim Carrey and his motormouth and rubber-face. I'm not saying that's bad, but I don't think finding "plot holes" undermines the picture.

[–] samoanjoes (53201) 3 years ago

Depends if he didn't really think the judge would fall for it.

[–] Martoto (4467) 3 years ago

No.