Where The Truth Lies Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES PLOT SUMMARY
A female journalist tries to uncover the truth behind the breakup, years earlier, of a celebrated comedy team after the duo found a girl dead in their hotel room. Though both had airtight alibis and neither was accused, the incident put an end to their act.
| Kevin Bacon | Lanny |
| Colin Firth | Vince |
| Alison Lohman | Karen |
| David Hayman | Reuben |
| Rachel Blanchard | Maureen |
| Maury Chaykin | Sally Sanmarco |
| Sonja Bennett | Bonnie |
| Kristin Adams | Alice |
| Deborah Grover | Mrs. O'Flaherty |
| Beau Starr | Jack Scaglia |
| Don McKellar | Publishing Executive |
| David Hemblen | NY Hotel Concierge |
| John Moraitis | Irv Fleischman |
| Atom Egoyan |
6.60 out of 10 (4288 votes)
Visitor Reviews
HELP! Hollywood's in desperate need of good writers!
posted on 24 Jul 2009One of the most pleasant surprises in movie watching is to see a film you've heard nothing about and discover what a marvelous gem it is. I had that experience with "The Sweet Hereafter", an exceptionally well made movie that was wonderful in many aspects: spot-on acting, artistically beautiful cinematography, flawless directing, and a practically perfect screenplay adapted from an outstanding, important book written by a top shelf author. I liked "The Sweet Hereafter" so much that I've put on my eventually-must-watch-list any other work from the actors that were in it as well as the director, Atom Egoyan. Sadly, so far, no other work by any of them is even in the same ballpark. That's usually quite common when you discover a cinematic masterpiece, very few directors, actors, et al, are ever involved in a great film and if they are it's often just the one and they spend the rest of their careers trying to find another one to match but to no avail. I thought "Ararat" was good but no where near up to par with "The Sweet Hereafter". Okay, so the material's not quite the same quality, let's see what else Mr. Egoyan has done, surely a man who can direct a great, powerful film will eventually put out something that I will find a great cinematic experience. Coppola followed "The Godfather" with the best "sequel" of all time "The Godfather 2" and the mind blowing "Apocalypse Now". Atom Egoyan's got to make something else that's exceptional, right? Which leads to one of the more unpleasant experiences in movie watching, after discovering a great film, you're never able to find anything remotely of the same merit from the directors, actors, etc. involved. Sometimes it's even a terribly foul piece presented for your cinematic palate, such as "Where the Truth Lies". Do you ever watch a movie and it starts to deteriorate until you end up angry for having wasted your time? Or worse, walked in with high expectations only to be slapped in the face with idiotic drivel? This is one of those films. No matter how great a chef is he can't make great cuisine from dog sh+t. It won't even be edible.Who wrote this contrived, unrealistic crap? It didn't start off bad, there was even an element that was interesting, where the telethon was just a phony scam for the mob to cash in. But it was right about then that the movie rapidly descended into a very stupidly unrealistic place. What is necessary for really good writing is for the writer to do material he/she knows. What is usually an element of really bad writing is when it so obviously is a thinly contrived piece that is about a subject matter the author knows nothing about but naively thinks they can make it up as they go along and it won't be obviously obtuse. And it doesn't even have to the situation or subject matter itself that the writer needs to be an expert on but rather on character, how people act in a specific situation. When your credibility allowance gets strained as you see a character behave in a way you know is childishly unrealistic it's bad enough but when the other supposedly savvy, worldly characters are attracted to her infantile behavior you know you're watching a real turd transforming.And this female lead, Alison Lohman, is just plain awful. If this is the extent of her acting ability she'd be wise to save every cent of every paycheck because she'll need it all when her fleeting youth and beauty fade. I know Hollywood and its satellites prefer to use pretty young girls as much as possible, even in place of women; but why does it insist on putting them in places where they would have no business in the real world? At least not behaving the way they do in awful films like this one, preening narcissists who haven't the vaguest clue about anything other than their self centered demands. Sure the world likes to look at pretty young women/girls but usually only sexually insecure boys of various ages will consistently tolerate their infantile emotional demands. That is up until they can finally get a taste of their guarded fruits and most will then realize it's hardly worth the price to continue to be the emotional whipping boy of a nasty narcissist.There are enough really bad and mediocre films (the vast majority actually) out there that I usually try and forget them as quickly as possible, without wasting any time with a comment. The only reason I chose to mention this soon to be forgotten piece is that Mr. Egoyan is capable of vastly much, much better work. I know it's in him, I've seen the results when he excels. He just needs to be patient and use some decently written material. Maybe Russel Banks could offer up one of his fine novels that has yet to be tapped for film. They did a great, nay fantastic adaptation before together. If not, anyone know any way to sneak a decent piece of writing into Hollywood? I hear they have The Bad Writing Patrolmen who usually only allow the worst crap to get through. If you wonder about this just chose just about any film at random to prove my point.
In The Immortal Words Of Pontius Pilate ...
posted on 24 Jul 2009... what is truth? We could add Does It Matter/Who Cares etc. This is a reasonably entertaining film but further than that I'm not prepared to go. I'll usually go to ANY movie about showbiz however peripheral but classics like Mank's All About Eve and Wilder's Sunset Boulevard have made it tough for the competition. In this case I detected absolutely no charisma in either Colin Firth or Kevin Bacon, who are both, I hasten to add, fine actors and they act WELL here but it's impossible to believe that they were, even for one moment, superstars in the mold of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis who they are clearly modeled on. With the exception of Jerry Colonna, who was not part of a double act, and Oliver Hardy, who was not playing a charmer, I can't think of one partner in a well-known double act who has worn a moustache as Colin Firth does here and he completely misses the easy charm of Dean Martin. Of course they are not MEANT to be Martin and Lewis otherwise the death of the girl would attract serious litigation but there WAS a girl who died after a 'party' with another well-known comedian, Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle, several years before the events depicted here; of such melanges are stories/screenplays woven. Egoyan keeps the action interesting by weaving back and forth and playing with time and the ultimate 'truth' if something of a cop out is at least semi plausible. Pleasant? Yes. Entertaining? Yes. Significant? You've got to be kidding.
Beyond the rating
posted on 22 Jul 2009A lot has been made of the rating (at least in America) and some of the discussions can be read here at IMDb (take a look at the message board). But the movie wouldn't be treated fairly, if you can't see through that! This movie is a depiction of human beings. How fame can change a person and how many can be deceived by an image ... And this really great story is helped by great actors. I liked Kevin Bacon the most, but it's also a stunning performance by Colin Firth.Of course, this is character driven and if you enjoy a suspenseful thriller/drama, then this is made for you! ;o)
Deftly crafted, emotionally impacting murder mystery
posted on 22 Jun 2009Considering the controversy surrounding the film prior to its release involving the censor's disapproval regarding a certain particularly sexually graphic scene, audiences might have walked into director Atom Egoyan's Where the Truth Lies with decidedly different expectations than the film merited. Surrounded with a slew of publicity centering in on the struggle to keep the aforementioned scene intact, it may have been easy to overlook viewing the film in its own right, which would be a shame indeed, as Egoyan's stylish and clever take on the murder mystery genre proves too much of a hard hitting and compelling watch to deserve being reduced to such superficial gossip. Egoyan's film is impressive indeed, managing to both prove a loving homage to the noir murder mysteries of old, and a strong addition to the genre in its own right. While it is true that the film's narrative is convoluted and elusive to the point of being confusing, Egoyan builds the tension so astutely that the film is infinitely too interesting for the viewer to ever lose interest. In fact, one of the film's very few complaints is that Egoyan's film may feel very familiar ground to fans of the genre or experienced moviegoers, but the screenplay crackles with cunning, intelligently crafted characters and countless memorable lines, and even the most experienced filmgoers will more often than not prove dumbfounded by the film's requisite twist ending, despite how obvious it may seem on retrospect. Far from being just another murder mystery, Egoyan's stamp of quality cements the film as a superb piece of work. But as compelling as the murder mystery centerfold to the story is, one of the film's strongest assets is the portrayal of the seedy life in 1950s show business, as experienced by the film's double-act of night-club entertainers, Collins and Morris. Egoyan paints such a vivid portrait of the excessive, superficial and seldom ethical way of life which became all too natural for the stars that the viewer is given a sense of being immersed in the hedonistic fervor alongside the performers. It is on this front that Egoyan's admittably very graphic (but somewhat over-hyped, and nowhere near as severe as reports would have it) sexual content appears less gratuitous than in other such films; seemingly intended to add to the visceral experience of the characters' lives rather than simply included for pornographic purposes. The film should also be commended for its intelligent depiction of the romanticism of celebrity, and how it leads to big names being given licence to step over the line of ethical and legal boundaries, yet still win the hearts of their audiences and escape unscathed by judicial reprimands. The film is unsettling in its attempt to accurately demonstrate all aspects of the glitzy trappings of celebrity, and the impeccable period detail only serves to add to the sheer quality of the production. Egoyan's cast prove more than up to the challenge of rising to the film's difficult and emotionally intense material, turning out universally stellar performances. Alison Lohman gives a truly impressive performance as the reporter writing a feature on the lives of the entertainment double act; particularly commendable during moments when her character's own morality proves almost as subject as the seedy duo she is investigating. But the true stars of the show prove the same as the stars they portray - Kevin Bacon and Colin Firth, both truly flooring and chilling in turn as the infamous celebrity pairing Lanny Morris and Vince Collins. Bacon's reptilian confidence and self indulgent arrogance combined with Firth's composed exterior punctuated with moments of inner emotional seething make for a hard hitting, emotionally haunting coupling of performances, both worthy of any number of acting accolades. David Hayman is also a noteworthy presence as Lanny's dedicated assistant, and Rachel Blanchard gives a powerful performance as the mysterious woman caught between the entertainers, and the source of the scandal which ensued. All things considered, those willing to overlook the initial controversy regarding the film's content will discover a masterfully crafted, intelligent and mature mystery drama; helmed with a sure hand by a highly capable director and fueled by superb performances from Bacon and Firth, as well as the rest of the dynamic cast. While it is true that the film may drift into familiar ground for those familiar with the genre, the film proves less predictable than it might appear, and is especially commendable for its realistic depiction of the romanticism of celebrity, and the dark, seedy backside to the glitzy exterior of show business. Most interesting is Egoyan's insistence that the morality of all his characters, even his female protagonist waver in turn, seeming to depict that no one is truly innocent. Egoyan's drama crackles with intelligence and poignancy mostly unseen in the genre, making it highly worth a watch. -9/10
Utter Garbage
posted on 22 Jun 2009I started watching this movie expecting fully to enjoy it. I like the genre: a sordid mystery tale with a slow unraveling story. I like the leads: Firth and Bacon. There are also some lesser known good young actresses as well who have stood out in other roles. I'm not a great fan of Atom Egoyan but I have enjoyed some of his films despite overtures of stilted, phony dialogue and more than a tendency towards pretension. Well, that didn't prepare me for this junk. Admittedly I didn't stick it out for the entire film. First, there's the repeated use of unbelievably grating and unreal telethon flashbacks. Secondly, there's the hammy performances by the two leads. Thirdly, there was the gratuitous sexuality and nudity that was more suited to a cable soft porn feature. Then there's the laughable stilted, phony-baloney dialogue that makes Clerks seem like Citizen Kane. And all this to a soundtrack that sounds like it was taken from a documentary about Global Warming.If you have had any reservations about Egoyan's other films, don't waste your time on this film, it's the culmination of everything bad about Egoyan's film making. If you haven't seen an Egoyan feature before and aren't sure if he's to your taste, try one of his other features first.
A Perfect Title -- SPOILERS
posted on 12 Jun 2009The title not only provides the film's name, it eloquently defines the film's three acts:Act 1: "Where the Truth Lies ... hidden" -- A great tragedy causes the downfall of two flawed "heroes". A reporter endeavors to uncover the hidden truth.Act 2: "Where the Truth Lies ... because the truth tells lies" -- Facts intermingle with perspective to deceive the observer. Context untangles the knot surrounding the truth.Act 3: "Where the Truth Lies ... ready to pounce" -- Though "the butler did it" his sadistic greed threatens the innocent. The truth is held back to protect the them.A very tidy plot and well told story. It would have been perfect if the director did not allow his infatuation with beautiful women to color the story. Beautiful sex scenes provided a glossy patina to what should have been seedy debauchery. Female characters were not allowed to fully reveal the concupiscent flaws of the "heroes". For example, Alison Lohman uncovered her charms but not her claws. She should not have been directed so cautiously.
too much hype, doesn't deliver
posted on 10 Jun 2009First let me state that I did not read the book so I'm just going off the film here...I was really intrigued by all the press this film had received concerning the rating, mystery and time shift in storytelling. I figured there was no way for it to be bad with Bacon and Firth's involvement. I was wrong.Unfortunately this flick fell very flat. The sexual scenes were awkward and cold, not a spark of passion in any of them. Really a pity too as Kevin and Colin both have demonstrated a talent for conveying pure sensuality in other roles. The "intrigue" was predictable and too drawn out. There was very little true noir. In point of fact the tweaked, diffused bright white flashback scenes were distracting from the narrative. The acting wasn't horrible but it wasn't Oscar worthy either. The musical score was like a bad cliché-- contrived and unoriginal.Overall I feel this movie is extremely pretentious and held in too high regard. Ultimately I found none of the characters likable nor even sympathetic and that might be the greatest fault. If you don't really care whodunit, then how is a whodunit supposed to resonate? You know the one thing I *did* like? The costumes. Costuming did a superb job in both decades of clothing. It's perhaps the only thing this film really nailed. I don't exactly want my money back but I don't think it's worth a second viewing either.
Weak murder mystery.
posted on 02 Jun 2009It starts off alright, as a kind of "Goodfellas" dealing with a Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis team in the 1950s. Kevin Bacon's narration, both matter-of-fact and kinda surprised, carries the viewer along in exposing the corrupt underbelly of the Martin-Lewis bonhomie. But the problems crop up rather quickly. What can this movie tell us about Martin and Lewis that Jerry Lewis hasn't told us already? But that's the best part. After the introduction to the phoniness behind the act and the telethons, it turns into a routine murder mystery, and a not very interesting one.No -- more than just not very interesting. Absurd. Ionesco couldn't have developed a more bizarre plot than one of the comedy team, a homosexual in the oppressive 1950s, murdering an exploitative young woman and the team, in a panic and still stoned on Tuinal, packing her body in a crate full of lobsters and ice and shipping it from Miami to Newark. The only thing is -- the butler did it. I swear I'm not making this up.Most of the acting is okay, except for Alyson Lohman as the central figure. She looks fine and should have a flourishing career in afternoon romantic dramas. Kevin Bacon is pretty good. As he's aging, he's acquiring some character. His face seems now kind of monkeyish but not at all unpleasant, and his voice is a deep-throated kek kek koaxx koaxx. When he tells his story in voice-over we can believe him.As an entirely, though, the movie isn't worth watching. At least I don't think so. Others might. It's not so poor as to be either insulting or funny. It seems more confused than anything else.
Want to know where the truth lies ?
posted on 29 May 2009The two praising reviews I read about this movie forced me to react. I could not agree less with what was written. In my views, this movie could not have been any worse since, at the end of the day, it leaves the viewers with the impression, not only of having wasted both their time and money, but also of having been crooked.The truth actually lies beneath: Some might interpret this as lack of subtlety or nuance, but, after having thought of this for a couple of hours, I could only come up with the conclusion that this movie is extremely poor in nearly every single way: the script is rather poor, the editing is artificial, misleading and annoying, the acting is extremely poor (at least as far as Alison Lohman is concerned), the music is banal, the costumes and the make up are off.Indeed, the script is in fact frustratingly simple and should have been the object of a short: a young journalist investigates a crime and unveils the criminal after a couple of interviews. Furthermore, the ending, which reveals why the crime took place, leads to only one conclusion: much ado about nothing.Secondly, Egoyan has obviously tried to hide the shallowness of the script by over-editing. Indeed, there are numerous flashbacks that obviously aim at making the plot more dense than it really is. In fact, they only make the story more difficult to understand, without making it more appealing.The truth is that the ending does not surprise anyone, not only because it is not original, but above all because most viewers have lost interest after 40 minutes.Indeed, they are introduced to a young journalist, Alison Lohman, who is, they are told, a young and unexperienced journalist who is given the task of drafting a one million dollars biography of a TV star. Besides the incongruity of such a situation (why an unexperienced journalist? why so much money for a TV star ? etc.), the extremely poor acting of Alison Lohman makes it difficult for the audience to feel any sympathy: when surprised, she frowns; when upset, she frowns; when aroused, disappointed, sympathizing, sad or happy, she frowns again - and again. Her obvious lack of talent is also exemplified by her off voice that is used all along the movie to explain to the lost audience what Egoyan is aiming at. She tries so hard to sound mysterious that it becomes laughable, especially since the suspense never catches the audience.She also looks very sexy during the entire movie, for an unexplainable reason: whether at night or noon, whether in the presence of a man or a woman, she is constantly wearing low-cleavage dresses or robes, that are absolutely inappropriate with the situation and which make it even harder to believe. She also insists in typing her article with two inches-long nails which are, as everybody knows, the distinctive sign of a journalist.Furthermore, during the entire movie, a very loud music, apparently composed exclusively for violins, attempts to increase the non-existing suspense. In fact, it is just plainly annoying.Overall, the entire movie is extremely tacky, and the only reason for watching it would be the anatomy of Alison Lohman. But that is hardly enough to make a suitable non-pornographic movie.
Truth?
posted on 15 May 2009Maybe Atom Egoyan is a little overestimated. He has good stories, all the time, but doesn't tell them in an effective way.It's not about the rather slow "European" tempo and the jumping from present to history. It's a lack of intensity. You don't really see why you should care about these people and their sometimes gruesome fates.This is about two comedians from the 50s and the mysterious death of a girl who has been visiting their hotel suite. A young journalist 15 years later tries to find out what happened. But Egoyan's 1957 and 1972 are not really believable and the acting performance which really saves this is by co-star David Hayman.A small disappointment.
Interesting character studies in an interesting whodunnit.
posted on 25 Apr 2009The story opens with us seeing a black and white TV broadcast from the 1950s, Lanny (Kevin Bacon) and Vince (Colin Firth) are a comedy team in the vein of Martin and Lewis, and doing a 39 hour telethon to raise money for polio. This establishes their characters, and we soon find out behind the scenes that they are not very nice people. Lanny is always casing the audience for a young sex partner, and Vince will protect Lanny when necessary.We learn early in the movie that a young lady is found dead in a bathtub of water in the hotel suite Lanny and Vince are staying in while doing a job in New Jersey. The investigation was done quickly so as not to draw too much attention, the 'official' cause of death, drowning by combination of alcohol and drugs.Cut to 15 years later, the 1970s, the little polio poster child Karen (Alison Lohman) has grown up to be a young woman who is hired to write a book about Lanny and Vince. The story is a bit complex, but Karen wants to know about Maureen, the young woman found dead in their room. As she talks to various people about the events that led up to that day, she more and more begins to doubt the official story. She is determined to get to the bottom of it, but encounters difficulties with both Lanny and Vince.Alison Lohman, who was so good as Nic Cage's fake daughter in 'Matchstick Men' was OK here, but nothing special. The real acting kudos go to Kevin Bacon who creates a wonderful characterization of Lanny. While the story turns out to be a rather ordinary 'whodunit', the viewing trip along the way is well worth the time.SPOILERS. READ NO FURTHER. Maureen actually died in Miami after the telethon. She was an aspiring author and wanted lots of money from Lanny to keep their encounter a secret. After she fell asleep from drugs and alcohol (which made the eventual death determination possible) the faithful valet Reuben smothered her. The body was placed in a crate of iced down lobsters that were being shipped to NJ for Lanny and Vince. Vince killed himself from guilt.
A Fantastick "whodunnit" and Film Noir at Its Best
posted on 25 Apr 2009I thought "Where The Truth Lies" was one of the best films of the year along with "Crash" and "The Constant Gardner".It is really a modern sort of Rashomon. I love the cutting back and forth between the 1950's and the 1970's telling parts of the same story some 20 years apart. I never had any problem figuring out where we were and each flashback or flash forward completed different parts of the same story. And just as soon as we thought we understood what had happened as told by one character another would relate a slightly different version. Rashomon at its best. Thanks to Director Egoyan for a superb film with an excellent cast.
Trivial nonsense......
posted on 05 Apr 2009I can honestly say this movie is so confusing, trying to figure out whether you are watching one of the unending flashbacks or not, is taxing to the extreme. The plot is something about a pair of womanizing comedians, a dead girl in a bathtub, a polio telethon, a Newark gangster, an autobiography, and whatever else could be thrown into this nonsense. I stayed with it for about an hour, which was a 60 minute mistake. Be warned, even though the film is supposedly about a pair of comedians, there is zero humor. It just rambles on and on and on. I hated this movie for all of the above reasons, and it should be avoided. - MERK
Confusing and implausible whodunnit
posted on 03 Apr 2009There are good bits in Where the Truth Lies that give you an insight into what the film could have been, but they are too sparse to salvage this confusing and ultimately implausible thriller.Fans of Atom Egoyan's work will relish the chance to see him in action again, but it is Egoyan himself, as both scriptwriter and director, who ruins what could have been an intelligent whodunnit.It is worth going into the plot to explain exactly why it doesn't work.Alison Lohman plays a former polio sufferer and journalist who, years after she appeared on a telethon featuring a pair of variety stars, decides to write a book about what they are really like. The big draw is that the pair, played by Colin Firth and Kevin Bacon, split shortly after the show when the body of a girl was found in their hotel room. The crime was never solved.Colin Firth, the straight half of the variety partnership, agrees to cooperate, but Kevin Bacon declines because he is writing his own book to be released after their deaths.Despite Bacon's reluctance - and this is important - Bacon's representatives allow Lohman to read several chapters of Bacon's book to show her that her work would be rubbish by comparison. They do what? What publisher, in the real world, would attempt to dissuade a rival by sharing information? This is the first of a string of implausible plot developments that gnaw at the viewer's will to suspend disbelief and, in my case, consume it completely.Other elements - confrontations between Lohman, Bacon and Firth and an all-too-convenient tape recording - fail to ring true. Although the denouement is rather poignant, the drama has long since become preposterous. I was still chortling to myself because of a previous scene in which a character does an unwitting impression of Hannibal Lecter. And what on earth is going on when a children's hospital hosts a production of Alice in Wonderland with a woman singing a trippy version of Jefferson Airplane's White Rabbit?The acting isn't bad - indeed Firth and Bacon are rather good - but it fails to make an unlikely script appear anything but contrived and, occasionally, unintentionally funny.It doesn't help that the film is told in a confusing series of flashbacks, some of which didn't happen at all. Egoyan attempts to overcome the confusion by adding lots of explanatory voice-overs, but this also acts as a reminder that the images do not do the talking.And what of the supposedly controversial scenes that earned the film such a high rating from the censors? Well, there's graphic violence, drug taking and, without wanting to spoil anything, sex scenes that wouldn't appear in a standard Hollywood film. But, really, so what? The controversy is a red herring. The film doesn't work, and it is Egoyan who is to blame.
Naked Truth
posted on 20 Mar 2009In the movies of the Egyptian Atom Egoyan, such as the Sweet Hereafter, tragedies of immense repercussions seems to start from casual acts - a sideslip on the ice, a hitchhiking. What he suggests, however, is that his characters were already walking inevitably towards these events. Where the Truth Lies (2005) follows this same principle. In 1972, a reporter (Alison Lohman) interviewed two comedians (Kevin Bacon and Colin Firth) that fifteen years before broke up a partnership of success, for reasons that might or not involve the lady that worked for the hotel found dead in the room of the pair. The director establish the gens of suspense to the of the melodrama, coming up to a strong film (in all the senses), that deserves more attention then what it got in the movie theaters.
Unfairly bashed. Another Egoyan gem
posted on 18 Feb 2009Lanny and Vince are a 1950's comedy duo. At the height of their fame, a young college student is found dead in their hotel suite. Neither of the men is charged with murder, but the suspicions surrounding the girl's death cause the duo's act to fall apart.Fifteen years later, a young journalist called Karen O'Connor agrees to pay Vince 1 million dollars to reveal the truth of that murderous night. Vince accepts the offer. He's long since withdrawn from public life and needs the money. Lanny, in contrast, still has a thriving career. He contacts Vince and tries to discourage him. Pretty soon Vince is dead and Lanny is having a romantic affair with Karen the journalist.As with most Egoyan films, "Where the Truth Lies" is a noir in which a central character (Karen) investigates and attempts to reconcile a past tragedy. All of Egoyan's films feature multiple narrative threads rotating around a single traumatic event. The past is revealed in increments, until the film builds to a climax of truth.The film has lots of problems. It aims for a sleazy view of 1950s showbiz, in which the duo's cosy public persona is violently at odds with the drug-filled reality, but Egoyan's style is too cold and intellectual. He's too detached to really capture the vibrancy such a story needs.Secondly, the two leads (Bacon and Firth) have no chemistry together. Their performances have no joy and there's no sense of tragedy when they finally drift apart.Thirdly, despite it's large budget, the film is unable to build a successful noir aesthetic. Egoyan tries to create a colour palette worthy of "Vertigo", but he's always been a weak visualist.And yet, despite these flaws, this is still an excellent picture. One expects a fairly detached camera in an Egoyan film. One expects icy storytelling and abrasive characters. One expects ample sex and a good deal of sleaze. This is an intensely personal film, and critics seem to be deriding it simply because Egoyan didn't sell out.7.5/10 - This film requires two viewings. The first hour is confusing, almost directionless, but the final hour hooks us. Egoyan handles the romance and flirting well, and the noir mystery is always intriguing. The film only fails at successfully conveying the life and friendship of it's two lead characters.Worth two viewings.
Great film, and very well made.
posted on 14 Feb 2009While not on the same lengths as Cronenberg's latest foray, A History of Violence, Atom Egoyan still pulls off quite a great Canadian feature with this film, and only heightens the excellent acting talent of Colin Firth and the man who knows everyone and one of my personal favorite actors (and pincushions), Kevin Bacon.While the storyline becomes a little convoluted half-way through, the performances and presentation of the film keep up throughout. The dual narration is annoying at first, but becomes acceptable after a few minutes. The presentation of the 1950s settings, and the 1970s settings are just excellently done. While some of the costumes are off in some areas, in others, they are spot-on. It makes you wonder why Oscar skipped over the film (until you watch it all, and then realize why).Alison Lohman is alright here, but she was much better in Matchstick Men, if for only the fact that she looks to young for her own good (and after the things she does, and has done to her in this film, she looks way too young for her own good). For this reason, she has a really hard time carrying the film, and has an even harder time acting against Firth and Bacon. Rachel Blanchard is sadly underused, as is Firth, but the rest of the supporting cast has just enough time needed to stretch.The film's graphic nude and sex scenes are right on par with Cronenberg, and make an interesting comparison. Were they really attempting to compete, or was it just a subtle irony that both of the films came out last year, and had their first screenings at Cannes? In the end, the whole thing sadly just looks very little in comparison to Violence, and that's the unfortunate thing because they were just destined to be compared. But, the film still is very well made, and deserves a look.8/10.
Cliché to the Bitter End
posted on 04 Feb 2009Not a great movie at all. I never expected it to be a "family film" it is a murder mystery. But this movie has 4 graphic sex scenes that could have been a lot more mild. But then I guess that would ruin the movie? I don't see how. The movie has two comedians based on such teams as Martin and Lewis back in the 1950's. For the most part it takes place in the 1970's drug era with a female book writer investigating a murder covered up by the Jersey Mob. If you are not completely brain dead you will know who did it. I had it figured out about 50 to 60 minutes into this picture... I won't tell you who did it just think cliché murder mystery ending. The ending is very anti climatic with the killer getting away and nothing really being accomplished. So my advice to you, if you like to watch wannabe porn flicks with no real plot... this is your film.
USA Citizens, if you want to see the original form... See it in Canada
posted on 15 Jan 2009I saw the movie today at the 2nd showing of the Toronto International Film Festival.... The movie will be released in Canada in the way that I had seen it today, uncensored and uncut.The scene in question isn't explicit at all, well the part that the MPAA is crying about that implies that one of the characters as being homosexual, there's no full frontal male nudity, a lot of female nudity from Alison Lohman, Rachael Blanchard, and Kristin Adams there is some interaction between Lohman and Adams but it is done tastefully..So again, if it doesn't get played in your market and you can get to Canada go see the movie....
mediocre, ineffectual drama
posted on 09 Aug 2009Ah, life. The rock and roll life to be precise. Sex and drugs and, well, even more sex. Given a man a bit of fame, and instantly he's got a room full of gifts and a selection of naked women. It must all be fun, until things go wrong anyway. In Rupert Holmes' novel "Where the Truth Lies", we are presented with this very problem. Adapted into a film however and we're given a very slap dash feature with more mistakes in casting and some dire scripting.Lanny Morris and Vince Collins (Kevin Bacon and Colin Firth) are a mainstream musical partnership who do a lot of good for a lot of people. Behind closed doors however they are considerably different and spend their lives enjoying life a bit too much. Fifteen years after the split of the duo and the discovery of a dead girl in their bathroom, and long term fan and upcoming journalist Karen O'Connor (Alison Lohman) is keen to write the life story and discover the truth about that fateful day.From the opening moments, there's something very "Murder She Wrote" about this film. With the budding journalist, played impeccably by the surprising Lohman), hunting for the truth by interviewing people and piecing facts together with detective like ease, it's difficult to get past the feeling that you've seen all this before.The feeling of mediocrity is further endorsed by the mistaken casting of Kevin Bacon as the Lothario of the musical pair. Often looking uncomfortable and awkward, he wouldn't look out of place on an Eastenders set.It's a bit of a relief therefore that whilst Bacon is the weak link, the film redeems some small dignity through the outstanding Lohman and the equally infallible Colin Firth. The former Mr Darcy is more renowned now for his more gentle side, but throughout his career, Firth is much more regular as a darker, more disturbed character. It's not difficult to see why really, as this film is another timely reminder of the depth of his ability.As this cinematic Columbo episode progresses, events flow as you expect before we are given the final concluding explanation of events and a resolution of sorts. Just when we finally have a bit of understanding though, along comes a dis-believable and pointless twist which really doesn't pay off and ultimately leaves the audience frustrated. Events aren't explained fully and motivations are left lacking. It's a shame, but not a massive surprise.In fact, if this film is of any success at all, the reason is more than likely going to be due to the fuss it caused in America. Given a harsh rating as a result of a sexual scene, America's conservative nature is once more brought to the forefront. The scene in question, a threesome involving Firth, Bacon and Rachel Blanchard, is not only mostly implied rather than shown, but it also feels like an irrelevant opportunity to show nudity. Most of the numerous sex scenes in the film actually feel this way, and truthfully if it wasn't for the fuss raised by the American Censors, it's doubtful that anyone would ever have heard, let alone seen, this mess of a movie.With plot holes and some bad casting, so much of this film is wrong. It's a cinematic detective story and it's about as entertaining as Quincy. Whilst Alison Lohman and Colin Firth do deserve praise for their acting, their talents would be better displayed elsewhere. This is a hugely disappointing film, and you can find better ways to spend your time.