MovieChat Forums > Liar Liar (1997) Discussion > Does Fletcher also have the ability to k...

Does Fletcher also have the ability to know everything?

posted 3 years ago by MikeHunt12345 (789)
9 replies | jump to latest

Does Fletcher also have the ability to know everything? Just think about this dialogue:

Fletcher : Your honor, would the court be willing to grant me a short bathroom break?

Judge : Can't it wait?

Fletcher : Yes it can. But I've heard that if you hold it you could damage the prostate gland, making it very difficult to get an erection, or even become aroused!

Judge : Is that true?

Fletcher : It has to be!

That dialogue implies that he had never heard that fact, yet he still knew it. That seems to mean, for example, if someone asked him what the capital of Azerbaijan is, he'd be able to correctly answer, even if he had never heard of Azerbaijan.

If he does have this ability, he could've used it to help people, e.g. help the police solve investigations.

[–] hootiehome (409) 3 years ago

I didn’t take it that way.

I think he had heard about the pee thing before and he was able to verify it’s validity, because he was able to state it.

[–] Abed303 (282) 3 years ago

That's how I interpreted it as well.

[–] HurdyGurdyMan (20) 2 years ago

That dialogue implies that he had never heard that fact, yet he still knew it.

No, that is not what the "It has to be" means. What is does mean is that since he has made this statement within the period during which it is impossible for him to lie, it has got to be true - otherwise he would not have been able to say it in the first place.

[–] aavfreak (2890) 2 years ago

This is the whole problem I have with the premise of the movie to begin with.

He says: I've heard that if you hold it you could damage the prostate gland

Judge asks: Is that true?

Now, is the Judge asking if it's true that you could damage the prostate or if it's true that Fletcher's heard that it could damage the prostate.

These are two very different things. The answer to the first could be "no" while the answer to the second can be "yes" and neither would be a lie.

[–] PaladinNJ (20326) 2 years ago

The judge asked if it was true because he wasn't sure if Fletcher was just looking for an excuse.

[–] aavfreak (2890) 2 years ago

The judge asked if what was true?

Is the Judge asking if it's true that you could damage the prostate or if it's true that Fletcher's heard that it could damage the prostate.

These are two very different things. The answer to the first could be "no" while the answer to the second can be "yes" and neither would be a lie.

[–] Alocirp (680) 2 years ago

He was asking if it was true that holding it in could actually damage the prostate.

The other option is silly to even consider. Fletcher wasn’t being questioned on whether or not he had heard a bit of info; there would be no reason for that given the circumstances. The judge was obviously concerned about the health of his own prostate; not where the relevant info originated.

[–] aavfreak (2890) 2 years ago

Based on the context, I'm certain you're right and your post explains it perfectly.

However, that's the difficulty I have with the premise. Fletcher's statement was literally, "I've heard that if you hold it you could damage the prostate gland"

The Judge's question in response to that is "Is that true?"

At this point, he could honestly and accurately answer "yes" even if the prostate information was not true. Because it is in fact true that he heard it.

This may work better with a more obvious example of something being false, but his hearing it is true.

Like maybe:
I've heard that if you swallow bubble gum it will stay in your stomach for 7 years.

> Is that true?

Yes. (This is not a lie - yes it's true that I've hear that)

No, it's not true the gum will stay in your stomach for 7 years.

[–] Alocirp (680) 2 years ago

Okay, I get your point, though it seems extremely nitpicky. Remember: this is a fantasy-based comedy in which a man suddenly becomes physically unable to tell a lie due to the magic of birthday wishes. If you can accept the basic premise of that, I wouldn't worry too much about an issue of ambiguously-worded questions.