Jim Carrey does his in-your-face and overbearing act again here, but this true story about a conman who's crazy in love isn't just another excuse for copious mugging. As Steven Russell, Carrey also cuts a tragic figure when he becomes overwhelmed by his feelings for a sensitive soul he meets in prison. Ewan McGregor is the heart of the film as Phillip Morris, and the pair's tempestuous romance, though subject to coarse humour, is also tenderly portrayed by writer/directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (Bad Santa). It can feel too madcap when McGregor isn't on screen, but Carrey's performance is also compelling and surprisingly poignant. The fact that Steven tries to break back into jail after being released ups the laughter content, though the shifts in tone towards the end are unsettling. Even so, the film remains outrageously funny without resorting to cheap gags.

Steven Russell leads a seemingly average life – an organ player in the local church, happily married to Debbie, and a member of the local police force. That is until he has a severe car accident that leads him to the ultimate epiphany: he’s gay and he’s going to live life to the fullest – even if he has to break the law to do it. Taking on an extravagant lifestyle, Steven turns to cons and fraud to make ends meet and is eventually sent to the State Penitentiary where he meets the love of his life, a sensitive, soft-spoken man named Phillip Morris. His devotion to freeing Phillip from jail and building the perfect life together prompts him to attempt (and often succeed at) one impossible con after another.