'Full of It' is empty of humor, sense, and believability

While it's not always a foolproof barometer, in most cases when you see six writing and story credits and eight producing credits on a movie, you can anticipate a fair amount of confusion about the story. That's the situation in "Full of It," a complete muddle of intentions, execution, and tone.

Sam Leonard (Ryan Pinkston) is about to enter his senior year in yet another small-town school, which he hopes will mark a new beginning. Socially, Sam is a nerd -- a whiz at math but too short, too geeky, and too burdened with goody-goody parents (John Carroll Lynch and Cynthia Stevenson) to belong to any "in" crowd.

When he gets off on the wrong foot, a guidance counselor (Craig Kilborn) blithely advises him to lie about everything. Sam's lies aren't very convincing: The dog ate his homework, his dad is an aging rock star, and he can't miss as a point guard in basketball. Then, suddenly, all his lies come true.

The only question is -- why? When Jim Carrey's slick lawyer in "Liar Liar" finds himself unable to lie for 24 hours, it's because of the "movie magic" of his son's birthday wish. But why does Sam's dog eat his homework, his dad turn into a rock 'n' roller, and Sam hit nothing but net from everywhere in the gym? Is this an alternate reality or a dream? The writers decide it's because a mirror broke in Sam's bedroom. Huh?

Even if you ignore how the movie gets to this point, the lies turned into truths are played poorly under the lifeless direction of neophyte Christian Charles. Even a gag involving Carmen Electra falls flat, and you don't often see the words Carmen Electra and flat in the same sentence.