Big Fat Liar is one of those films that few adults with an IQ over 70 would go out to the theatrical release, save to appease the youngsters in their lives. It's also a film that many a parent will be doomed to watch repeatedly out of the corner of eyes and ears as it hits video and DVD release. Happily the film features the always enjoyable Paul Giamatti, who although way-over-the-top here, keeps the proceedings watchable for the adults.

BFL is a movie within a movie, that pits Frankie Muniz (Malcolm in the Middle) as a likable and clever "everykid," whose homework assignment falls into the hands of a dastardly Hollywood Producer Marty Wolf who purloins the story and sets about turning it into a Hollywood blockbuster. In order to set a matter of integrity straight with his Father it becomes necessary for Muniz to fly to Hollywood and convince Giamatti to call his father and admit that he indeed made off with the missing homework assignment.

Let's just say that plausibility is not present during any part of this movie, a fact that makes it possible for his gal pal Amanda Bynes to accompany him on their secret mission to Tinsel Town. A mission that includes outwitting the nefarious Wolf, stealing his palm-pilot, dying his skin blue, his hair orange and completely confounding his entire Studio. Which becomes necessary after Wolf proves unwilling to come clean about the plagiarized movie plot.

First and foremost this is a movie for kids and, for those young enough not to be bothered by gaping lapses of reality and logistics, they'll eat it up. It's a real kid-empowerment flick (with the obligitory respect for parental authority) this is about good kids kickin' butt on bad adults. Again thanks to Muniz' universal appeal and Giamatti's villanous turn there's enough stuff to keep an adult from going insane.

For her part Amanda Bynes has a few nice moments, and there is also a fun turn by Donald Faison of Scrubs fame, who plays an embittered limo driver who help the kids foil the big bad wolf. Lee Majors even pops up as a stunt man who figures into the grand finale.

If you are younger than 13 years old this will be a movie you will treasure for years and watch repeatedly and never get sick of. If you are an adult, well . . . it could've been a lot worse. Strangely it didn't pencil out at the box-office - but it performed well as a rental and amazingly enough, so far no sequel.