10 Mind-Blowing Movie Details You Totally Missed
6. The Lack Of Counterfeit Cash - The Invention Of Lying
Comedian Ricky Gervais' directorial cinematic debut received a mixed critical reception upon its release. This was due to its deviation from a high-concept story to a more familiar romantic comedy but that does not take away from its unique concept and engaging (to some degree) execution. That said, it feels like a missed opportunity due to its sudden tonal/genre shift.
From the film's perspective, a world without the very concept of lying features interesting possibilities, such as the concepts of fiction and religion not existing as well as people being very straightforward with their thoughts and feelings, often to uncomfortable and/or amusing effect.
One particularly interesting side effect of living in such a reality is that counterfeited goods do not exist, This applies to the money featured in the movie as we see protagonist Mark Bellison (Gervais) being handed outdated (from the perspective of the audience) hundred dollar bills.
A number of viewers pointed out that the bills are outdated because anti-counterfeiting strategies would not exist in a world centered on exclusively telling the truth. The choice to use outdated bills is a clever detail that sadly hints at a film with a lot more on its mind aside from a so-so romance tale.