Okay, I'll admit that if I didn't have kids, I never would have seen this film and would never see it. But, considering all the rotten kids movies I have seen (such as SPY KIDS 2 or BABE: PIG IN THE CITY),this is a significant improvement. And, it had enough in it that I wasn't totally bored out of my skull or contemplated suicide (something I did repeatedly in the other two movies). Sure, the performances are pretty broad and the plot is kinda silly--but it IS a kids film. And, compared with other films in the genre, this is definitely better than average. Frankie Muniz and Amanda Bines actually appear to have some talent and probably will continue to have careers after puberty--at least on infomercials or doing voice-overs.

So, if you are looking for a film to see with your kids, you certainly could do a lot worse!

Jason Shepherd (Frankie Muniz) is a well-rehearsed liar. He writes a story "Big Fat Liar" for his assignment. Hollywood producer Marty Wolf (Paul Giamatti) gives him a ride and finds he left behind his assignment. He is forced to attend summer school while Wolf makes the story into a big Hollywood movie. He sees the movie preview but nobody is willing to believe him. With best friend Kaylee (Amanda Bynes),he goes to Hollywood to confront Wolf. Wolf burns up his original paper. He uses his every lying skill to make life impossible for Wolf.

This may not be for the adults but I think the kids would like this. They would find Muniz's antics fun and Bynes is an adorably appealing sidekick. The two kid stars make this kiddie movie work but don't expect more.

Shawn Levy's "Big Fat Liar" is just a funny movie. It knows exactly what kind of movie it is. Anyone watching it will have to agree that it would be fun to get to do what Jason (Frankie Muniz) and Kaylee (Amanda Bynes) do. I have no doubt that Paul Giamatti enjoyed getting to play the slimy producer who becomes the target of the kids' pranks.

However, some other things caught my eye all now that I've seen the movie over a decade after its release. Shawn Levy went on to direct the "Pink Panther" remake and the "Night at the Museum" movies. "Big Fat Liar"'s cast includes some people who got notable roles in later years. Russell Hornsby (the producer's boss) now plays Det. Griffin on "Grimm". Alexandra Breckenridge (Jason's sister) played supporting roles on the first and third seasons of "American Horror Story". Sandra Oh (Jason's teacher) co-starred in "Sideways". John Cho (the director) went on to play half of the stoner duo in the "Harold & Kumar" movies and later played Sulu in the "Star Trek" reboot. Taran Killam (Bret) is now a "Saturday Night Live" cast member. All this and Frankie Muniz has pretty much disappeared. He was the star of "Malcolm in the Middle" back then, but can anyone name his most recent credit? Meanwhile his "MitM" co-star Bryan Cranston went on to gain acclaim for "Breaking Bad".

Anyway, it's a fun movie. The blue dye is the famous scene, but there's a lot more in store. Overall, the movie is a reminder that, yes, it's best to be honest. In the meantime, it's a pleasure to watch all the pranks get played out.