Atom Egoyan is one of my most trusted directors. He never disappoints me even when I'm not totally taken by the film. This is a perfect example of that. I loved it and hated it, all at the same time. Everything works and nothing works. Bacon and Firth couldn't be better as the Martin and Lewis, boy and girl act and yet...I didn't quite believe it. Good as they are they're not heavyweights and in my modest opinion the parts required heavyweights. I was sucked in though and enthralled by some extraordinary Egoyanesque moments with David Lynchish touches here and there. I believe the film was a flop at the box office, naturally. Too much of an adult story that demands not only full attention but participation from its audience. I will certainly see it again.
142 Reviews
A Question Of Casting
don_agu20 March 2006
I was engrossed by the premise. Kevin Bacon, Colin Firth and a dead girl in a bathtub. To see Firth and Bacon go through the steps of a sort of Jerry Lewis Dean Martin routine was, in itself, reason enough to see the movie. On top of that, a director like Egoyan. I was hooked but immediately, regrettably unhooked every time Alison Lohman opened her mouth. Who could possibly believe it? That character should exude intelligence other than sensual vibes. Miss Lohman doesn't exude either and makes the whole premise collapse. Imagine a young Jodie Foster or now Natalie Portman or even Rachel McAdams in those shoes. That was a pivotal part The whole believability of the premise depended on her. Because of her performance I saw the cracks in everyone else's performance. So the experience, for me, was a series of exhilarating rushes and disappointing stops. Who said that casting was 90% responsible for the success of a film?. Whoever said it was right. Here the truth lies at the feet of a casting director and of a director for casting.
This film wants to be too much at the same time
rubenm23 January 2006
Warning: Spoilers
In enjoyed most of Egoyan's movies very much, but I was disappointed by Where The Truth Lies. I got the impression the film wants to be too much at the same time. There is no real focus while the story swerves from the fifties to the seventies, and from Los Angeles to New York to Miami. It's a historical portrait about Hollywood in the fifties, but also a psychological drama and a whodunit at the same time. This movie could have been great if it restricted itself to one of those genres. I kept wondering what Egoyan wanted to tell us - except who killed Maureen O'Flaherty. Maybe he wanted to tell us only that, but in that case the movie could have been a lot less complex. What annoyed me most was the completely improbable plot. A corpse in a lobster crate, mixed-up identities, secret letters from unknown senders, blackmail threats - that's so Agatha Christie! And I wonder if anyone felt not disappointed after the ridiculous ending.
Hugely entertaining film + Bad critics + Tasteful love scenes.
frunklins17 October 2005
Hugely entertaining film + Bad critics + Tasteful love scenes.
I was very entertained. There wasn't a single boring minute in "Where the Truth Lies". I almost believed some newspaper critics' reviews and was prepared to be at least a little bit disappointed either with the actors (critics said were miscast), the sex scenes (critics said were explicit) or the ending. I was sitting there and waiting for a disappointment but it never came. It is a superb murder mystery with at least 3 top notch twists and in the end I was completely satisfied.
In my opinion, (and I know a thing or two about this) the love scene between "Alice" and Alison is one of the most beautiful ones ever performed (on the screen). I mean the (tastefully made) oral sex scene. ("Alice" stops for a moment, looks up at Alison with a trace of a smile ... the moonlight illuminates Alice's slightly wet mouth and chin... she looks down and continues. I haven't seen in any other film a more gorgeous pose than that of Alison during this exercise. Americans can make love as beautifully as Europeans and this film is the only proof so far. It even surpasses the straight love scene with Luisa Ranieri in Antonioni's "Eros"). The film is not about sex, though it is wonderfully choreographed. The most impressive thing here is certainly the story.
(P.S. Critics really did a disservice to us. Some of these same guys, I remember, used unbelievable superlatives while reviewing poor horror movies. One begins to question their motives).
I was very entertained. There wasn't a single boring minute in "Where the Truth Lies". I almost believed some newspaper critics' reviews and was prepared to be at least a little bit disappointed either with the actors (critics said were miscast), the sex scenes (critics said were explicit) or the ending. I was sitting there and waiting for a disappointment but it never came. It is a superb murder mystery with at least 3 top notch twists and in the end I was completely satisfied.
In my opinion, (and I know a thing or two about this) the love scene between "Alice" and Alison is one of the most beautiful ones ever performed (on the screen). I mean the (tastefully made) oral sex scene. ("Alice" stops for a moment, looks up at Alison with a trace of a smile ... the moonlight illuminates Alice's slightly wet mouth and chin... she looks down and continues. I haven't seen in any other film a more gorgeous pose than that of Alison during this exercise. Americans can make love as beautifully as Europeans and this film is the only proof so far. It even surpasses the straight love scene with Luisa Ranieri in Antonioni's "Eros"). The film is not about sex, though it is wonderfully choreographed. The most impressive thing here is certainly the story.
(P.S. Critics really did a disservice to us. Some of these same guys, I remember, used unbelievable superlatives while reviewing poor horror movies. One begins to question their motives).
A mighty swing and a miss..but worth seeing
baffled52215 October 2005
Good film, glad to have seen it. Wish there were more adult films as I'm tired of sifting through what appeals to 14 year old males. I wasn't shocked by the sex scenes and can think of a few R-rated films that contained scenes which made me more uncomfortable. There is a lot of sex in the film, it's not framed in shoulders-up shots, but it's not wall-to-wall. There is a good story that goes along with it. I wouldn't call it erotic, this is a story about sex as a way to manipulate people and sex because you can. It is graphically honest. I didn't feel it overwhelmed the plot or took you out of the story. If you're looking for a souped up version of Body Heat though, you'll probably be disappointed.
So I start with a 10 for interesting story and great performances from Firth and Bacon. Bacon clearly has the showier role, and the script mostly revolves around Lanny and how people relate to him. He commits himself to it totally and gives you a revealing performance of this "out there" character, warts and all. You see Lanny for what he is, both the public and private persona. It is a pitch perfect performance. Colin Firth handles the more complex character of Vince with his usual ability to reveal everything and nothing at the same time. His character is more veiled and enigmatic, not so clearly scripted (which works in the movie) and leaves you with questions as much as answers by the film's end. He delivers it with truthfulness and without gimmickry or sleight of hand. One of the thing's I've always liked about him as an actor is once you've seen a movie and know the ending, you can re-watch it and see an even more layered performance than you first realized because his character was fully there from scene one. The mystery, though not what I'd call suspenseful, did serve as a useful and involving vehicle in an interesting character drama. Then I start to subtract.
The film started off a little slow and it took me a while to establish an interest in what really happened to the dead girl, beyond what I'd picked up from the trailer. And Alison Lohman was just bad, I couldn't buy into her character at all. She was supposed to be the engine that drives to the solution of the murder and why these guys broke up, pushing them to reveal secrets they've held onto for 15 years. Not only did she need to be tougher and much smarter and more driven, her acting was way off the mark. Her lines in a scene might read "I'm a tough cookie" but there was nothing in her performance that supported it, before, after or during the scene. She was supposed to be someone who you'd pay a million dollars to for a hard-hitting expose because you believed she could get at the truth. Instead she comes across as the girl from Kansas who just fell off the turnip truck looking for a big break. She's out of her depth, exacerbated by being blown off the screen by her co-stars. I never believed she could stand up to Vince the way she has to in order to make the plot evolve, or hold Lanny's interest as a sexual liaison or an adversary. She added nothing and I think reduced the impact of the mystery's resolution.(Though I agree with an earlier review that Rachel Blanchard was a surprise as the girl killed in the hotel room. She was good.)
My last nit..the music was often wrong. I'm not usually so aware of the music in a film, but in this one it was distracting at times, way over the top.
So this is a film that "coulda been a contender" along the lines of LA Confidential. Close but no cigar. If this were meant to be a break out film of sorts for Egoyan, I don't think he completely managed it. I do think it is worth the price of admission though, and is better than most of the films I've seen this year. I don't mean to undersell the film and its strengths make up for the weaknesses. So if character dramas are your thing, see it for an interesting dynamic and two stand-out performances in an involving plot. See it with friends who love thought provoking movies, probably not right as first date fare.
So I start with a 10 for interesting story and great performances from Firth and Bacon. Bacon clearly has the showier role, and the script mostly revolves around Lanny and how people relate to him. He commits himself to it totally and gives you a revealing performance of this "out there" character, warts and all. You see Lanny for what he is, both the public and private persona. It is a pitch perfect performance. Colin Firth handles the more complex character of Vince with his usual ability to reveal everything and nothing at the same time. His character is more veiled and enigmatic, not so clearly scripted (which works in the movie) and leaves you with questions as much as answers by the film's end. He delivers it with truthfulness and without gimmickry or sleight of hand. One of the thing's I've always liked about him as an actor is once you've seen a movie and know the ending, you can re-watch it and see an even more layered performance than you first realized because his character was fully there from scene one. The mystery, though not what I'd call suspenseful, did serve as a useful and involving vehicle in an interesting character drama. Then I start to subtract.
The film started off a little slow and it took me a while to establish an interest in what really happened to the dead girl, beyond what I'd picked up from the trailer. And Alison Lohman was just bad, I couldn't buy into her character at all. She was supposed to be the engine that drives to the solution of the murder and why these guys broke up, pushing them to reveal secrets they've held onto for 15 years. Not only did she need to be tougher and much smarter and more driven, her acting was way off the mark. Her lines in a scene might read "I'm a tough cookie" but there was nothing in her performance that supported it, before, after or during the scene. She was supposed to be someone who you'd pay a million dollars to for a hard-hitting expose because you believed she could get at the truth. Instead she comes across as the girl from Kansas who just fell off the turnip truck looking for a big break. She's out of her depth, exacerbated by being blown off the screen by her co-stars. I never believed she could stand up to Vince the way she has to in order to make the plot evolve, or hold Lanny's interest as a sexual liaison or an adversary. She added nothing and I think reduced the impact of the mystery's resolution.(Though I agree with an earlier review that Rachel Blanchard was a surprise as the girl killed in the hotel room. She was good.)
My last nit..the music was often wrong. I'm not usually so aware of the music in a film, but in this one it was distracting at times, way over the top.
So this is a film that "coulda been a contender" along the lines of LA Confidential. Close but no cigar. If this were meant to be a break out film of sorts for Egoyan, I don't think he completely managed it. I do think it is worth the price of admission though, and is better than most of the films I've seen this year. I don't mean to undersell the film and its strengths make up for the weaknesses. So if character dramas are your thing, see it for an interesting dynamic and two stand-out performances in an involving plot. See it with friends who love thought provoking movies, probably not right as first date fare.
Disappointing effort from Egoyan
zetes12 March 2006
Egoyan's weakest film, at least since he came to prominence with Exotica. It's actually a somewhat interesting mystery, but it has a lot of flaws. There is a death, possibly a murder, in the hotel suite of two famous comedians (played by Colin Firth and Kevin Bacon), based on Martin and Lewis. That's the film's biggest flaw, that this completely fictional mystery uses Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis as a model. It's very distracting. The bulk of the story has a young journalist (Alison Lohman) writing the story of the two comedians, trying to solve the mystery. The film-making is pretty good, but Egoyan, except for The Sweet Hereafter, has always been a weak director when it comes to actors. Lohman, who was great in Ridley Scott's Matchstick Men, is awful here (she does get naked and have sex with a woman, though, which makes the film almost worth seeing). Kevin Bacon, who gave his best performance ever last year in the still underseen The Woodsman, isn't especially good, either. Only Firth does a good job. The film is also overscored with some very cliché mystery music. Mychael Danna's scores for Exotica and The Sweet Hereafter were brilliant; this one's a flop.
The truth is, this film isn't everything it wanted to be
The_Void17 December 2006
I was hoping this film would live up to the high standard set by the first two Atom Egoyan films I'd seen, The Sweet Hereafter and Felicia's Journey; but unfortunately, Where the Truth Lies is a film with bags of style, but almost nothing in terms of substance and despite a focus on characters; the film feels very flat and pointless by the time the conclusion to the sophomoric mystery plot is finally revealed. The film focuses on the partnership between Lanny and Vince; a pair of comedians that were a huge success back in the fifties (kind of like a smarter, American version of Ant and Dec). Their partnership ended fifteen years ago, and sexy female journalist Karen O'Connor decides to research the life of one of the partners, and get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding the death of a young girl whose body was found in the bathtub of the partners' hotel room on the night after a big TV show that the couple were doing.
This film isn't a complete loss, and that is thanks to the way in which it is filmed. Atom Egoyan seems to have been trying to capture a classic film noir style, and he succeeds somewhat; although the dark picture has been discarded in favour of beautiful bright colours. Egoyan relishes in capturing the beauty of his lead actress Alison Lohman, mostly through the movement of her lavish head of red hair. She is joined by the insanely talented Kevin Bacon, who isn't forced to give his best performance; but adequately gets through the film. Colin Firth rounds off the central cast, and does a good job of capturing the sleazy nature of his character. The old-fashioned style of the film is interesting at first, but this isn't kept up until the end, and I was getting more than a little tired of it before the film ended. The ending is something of a non-event, and the film feels like it should have a far more sophisticated conclusion considering the nature and style of the production. Where the Truth Lies has a number of memorable sequences; the (underdone) lesbian sequence chief among them, but there isn't enough positive elements to ensure that Where the Truth Lies will be remembered as anything other than an interesting failure.
This film isn't a complete loss, and that is thanks to the way in which it is filmed. Atom Egoyan seems to have been trying to capture a classic film noir style, and he succeeds somewhat; although the dark picture has been discarded in favour of beautiful bright colours. Egoyan relishes in capturing the beauty of his lead actress Alison Lohman, mostly through the movement of her lavish head of red hair. She is joined by the insanely talented Kevin Bacon, who isn't forced to give his best performance; but adequately gets through the film. Colin Firth rounds off the central cast, and does a good job of capturing the sleazy nature of his character. The old-fashioned style of the film is interesting at first, but this isn't kept up until the end, and I was getting more than a little tired of it before the film ended. The ending is something of a non-event, and the film feels like it should have a far more sophisticated conclusion considering the nature and style of the production. Where the Truth Lies has a number of memorable sequences; the (underdone) lesbian sequence chief among them, but there isn't enough positive elements to ensure that Where the Truth Lies will be remembered as anything other than an interesting failure.
Who killed Maureen O'Flaherty?
sol121813 December 2006
**SPOILERS** Behind the scenes movie to one of show business' most shocking episode that took place on the eve of the legendary Vince Collins & Lenny Morris, Colin Firth & Kevin Bacon,Polio Telethon; the mysterious death of 23 year old collage student and editor of her collage paper Maureen O'Flaherthy, Rachel Blanchard.
Getting themselves up to finish the grueling 39 straight hour Veterans Day Polio Telethon the two comics, Morris & Collins,in their hotel suite at the Miami Versailles Hotel popped themselves up with uppers and had a whole load of hookers sent up, courtesy of hotel owner and mob boss Sally Sanmarco,Maury Chaykin,to both party and loosen up for the big shows grand finale televised live on network TV. One of the girls who stayed up in Morris & Collins room was a pretty hotel worker Maureen O'Flaheraty who ended up not only not surviving the evening but some 1,000 miles away the next afternoon at Sally's majestic Palace Del Sol Hotel in Atlantic City dead as a doornail and cold as a block of ice in the couples, Morris & Collins, hotel suite.
The movie then goes to 1972 15 years into the future as magazine writer Karen O'Connor, Alison Lohman, is assigned by a major publishing company to write her first book the biography of Vince Collins, with Vince's help, and the story behind the O'Flaherty death and what exactly both Lenny Morris and Vince Collins had, if anything, to do with it. Since their, Lenny & Vince, breakup Vince had been going downhill with no or little work in Hollywood and the night-club circuit offered to him. Lenny on the other hand had become a bigger star then he ever was with his long time partner Vince. This made Vince, who must have thought that he was the star of the two man comedy act, very depressed and bitter over his now shattered show business career.
Agreeing to take a one million dollar advance for his memories, with Karen doing most of the writing, Vince was still very shook up over what happened to Maureen back on that November evening in 1957. The fact that Lenny was still alive and very successful the truth if revealed would just about destroy his career. Not in what Vince did to Maureen but what went on between himself and Lenny that a very sharp eyed and career-minded Maureen witnessed.
The movie goes back and forth from that fateful evening in Miami and the present,1972, with Karen who has a connection to both Lenny & Vince that they don't realize. Karen was on stage with the two comics that night as a nine year-old "miracle girl" who survived polio thanks to the help and money that she received from the telethon that Lenny & Vince put on over the years.
Karen had been getting valuable information through the mail about that night from what she at first thought was Lenny Morris. In fact she had met Lenny on a flight to New York City who thought that she was, with Karen lying to him, her best friend elementary school teacher Bonnie Trouth, Sonja Bennett. Lenny ended up having a night on the town with her and then left Karen cold in her, or Bonnie's, apartment without as much as a farewell note or goodbye kiss.
We and Karen later find that it wasn't Lenny who was feeding her all this vital information but non other then***SPOILERS***Lenny's long time pal and gofer Reauben, David Hyman, who not only knew what Maureen was about to spill to the newspapers, unless she was paid off, but who was the person who murdered her! Vince getting more and more depressed later checks into the very same suite at the Miami Versailles Hotel where Maureen died, or was murdered, back in 1957. Guzzling down three bottles of expensive champagne and popping an entire bottle of uppers Vince ends up overdosing in the bathtub, fully clothed, that was filled with ice.
Devastated with the news of his friend and partner's Vince Collins tragic death Lenny slams the door on Karen in not having nothing to do with her book about Vince and the night that lead to his suicide. But Karen had already deduced to who was responsible for Maureen's death, or murder. Karen also knew that the truth would kill Maureen's grieving and widowed mother Mrs. O'Flaherty, Deborah Grover, and forgoes the million dollars she would get for writing the story; she'll have the secret of Maureen's death published only after Mrs. O'Flaherty, not Lenny Morris, death since she'll be hurt the most in knowing what was behind it.
Getting themselves up to finish the grueling 39 straight hour Veterans Day Polio Telethon the two comics, Morris & Collins,in their hotel suite at the Miami Versailles Hotel popped themselves up with uppers and had a whole load of hookers sent up, courtesy of hotel owner and mob boss Sally Sanmarco,Maury Chaykin,to both party and loosen up for the big shows grand finale televised live on network TV. One of the girls who stayed up in Morris & Collins room was a pretty hotel worker Maureen O'Flaheraty who ended up not only not surviving the evening but some 1,000 miles away the next afternoon at Sally's majestic Palace Del Sol Hotel in Atlantic City dead as a doornail and cold as a block of ice in the couples, Morris & Collins, hotel suite.
The movie then goes to 1972 15 years into the future as magazine writer Karen O'Connor, Alison Lohman, is assigned by a major publishing company to write her first book the biography of Vince Collins, with Vince's help, and the story behind the O'Flaherty death and what exactly both Lenny Morris and Vince Collins had, if anything, to do with it. Since their, Lenny & Vince, breakup Vince had been going downhill with no or little work in Hollywood and the night-club circuit offered to him. Lenny on the other hand had become a bigger star then he ever was with his long time partner Vince. This made Vince, who must have thought that he was the star of the two man comedy act, very depressed and bitter over his now shattered show business career.
Agreeing to take a one million dollar advance for his memories, with Karen doing most of the writing, Vince was still very shook up over what happened to Maureen back on that November evening in 1957. The fact that Lenny was still alive and very successful the truth if revealed would just about destroy his career. Not in what Vince did to Maureen but what went on between himself and Lenny that a very sharp eyed and career-minded Maureen witnessed.
The movie goes back and forth from that fateful evening in Miami and the present,1972, with Karen who has a connection to both Lenny & Vince that they don't realize. Karen was on stage with the two comics that night as a nine year-old "miracle girl" who survived polio thanks to the help and money that she received from the telethon that Lenny & Vince put on over the years.
Karen had been getting valuable information through the mail about that night from what she at first thought was Lenny Morris. In fact she had met Lenny on a flight to New York City who thought that she was, with Karen lying to him, her best friend elementary school teacher Bonnie Trouth, Sonja Bennett. Lenny ended up having a night on the town with her and then left Karen cold in her, or Bonnie's, apartment without as much as a farewell note or goodbye kiss.
We and Karen later find that it wasn't Lenny who was feeding her all this vital information but non other then***SPOILERS***Lenny's long time pal and gofer Reauben, David Hyman, who not only knew what Maureen was about to spill to the newspapers, unless she was paid off, but who was the person who murdered her! Vince getting more and more depressed later checks into the very same suite at the Miami Versailles Hotel where Maureen died, or was murdered, back in 1957. Guzzling down three bottles of expensive champagne and popping an entire bottle of uppers Vince ends up overdosing in the bathtub, fully clothed, that was filled with ice.
Devastated with the news of his friend and partner's Vince Collins tragic death Lenny slams the door on Karen in not having nothing to do with her book about Vince and the night that lead to his suicide. But Karen had already deduced to who was responsible for Maureen's death, or murder. Karen also knew that the truth would kill Maureen's grieving and widowed mother Mrs. O'Flaherty, Deborah Grover, and forgoes the million dollars she would get for writing the story; she'll have the secret of Maureen's death published only after Mrs. O'Flaherty, not Lenny Morris, death since she'll be hurt the most in knowing what was behind it.
The Beautiful and The Bizarre-It doesn't quite come together, but the effect is potent.
ChigurandSpice19 April 2006
Warning: vague, minor spoilers. Not really, but hey better safe than sorry.
Here is a movie so delightful, messy, strange, sexy, and all together not quite there; that it makes me glad that films like it are still being made.
Egoyan soaks the film with a shining visual flare, and the characters leap off screen demanding to be fantastic. With such flamboyant settings, people, and actions, casting is absolutely critical. This is where Kevin Bacon and Colin Firth are invaluable and perfect. They are so famous, so flamboyant on their own and so well known that we are drawn into this story right along with Karen. And let's face it, they are all sexuality, with evil and lies boiling just beneath the surface. This is that rare kind of film that does justice to a phrase like that which is usually written on the cover but not delivered in the movie.These men carry their own persona into the film, and deliver just the right amount of insanity and insecurity. Watch Bacon's Lanny yell at a waiter for bringing lobster to the Jewish Lanny. Watch Firth's Vince stumble away from Lanny and Maureen reeling with rejection and sexual confusion. Watch Lanny lean over and kiss Vince's cheek while they perform high. The movie could have been all style and intrigue and little substance; but since Egoyan is directing, the sexual scenes are handled deeply, the drugs are films in full glory, and poignancy creeps in through cracks of the story.
Alison Lohman, who was SO good in the vastly underrated "Matchstick Men" has a good part here as a young journalist still somewhat infatuated with Lanny and Vince's famous duo. For me, her performance is the only one that never really takes off and leaves the screen, but I still went along with her character Karen, and it is not a serious or terribly noticeable flaw, simply a slight mismatching of actress to character; all though perhaps I find Karen a bit weaker and smarter than the other characters and no actress could have changed that.
Some quotes are a bit "bookish" and take us out of the movie for a moment, but even them I found working excellently. Bacon's voice-over in particular drips with confident malevolence. He has a speech on what he sees in Maureen's eyes in a key moment, that at first seems ridiculous and distant, but had me coming back and appreciating it more and more.
Overall, if you like the looks of the film/story/trailer/or even cover, it certainly delivers, and you will love it. The combination of drugs, mystery, lies, murder, fame, bisexuality, more drugs, more sex, and above all, Egoyan's flashy but confident directing, is stunning.
Not perfect, but a wild ride about manipulation, consequences, fame, and sex.
Here is a movie so delightful, messy, strange, sexy, and all together not quite there; that it makes me glad that films like it are still being made.
Egoyan soaks the film with a shining visual flare, and the characters leap off screen demanding to be fantastic. With such flamboyant settings, people, and actions, casting is absolutely critical. This is where Kevin Bacon and Colin Firth are invaluable and perfect. They are so famous, so flamboyant on their own and so well known that we are drawn into this story right along with Karen. And let's face it, they are all sexuality, with evil and lies boiling just beneath the surface. This is that rare kind of film that does justice to a phrase like that which is usually written on the cover but not delivered in the movie.These men carry their own persona into the film, and deliver just the right amount of insanity and insecurity. Watch Bacon's Lanny yell at a waiter for bringing lobster to the Jewish Lanny. Watch Firth's Vince stumble away from Lanny and Maureen reeling with rejection and sexual confusion. Watch Lanny lean over and kiss Vince's cheek while they perform high. The movie could have been all style and intrigue and little substance; but since Egoyan is directing, the sexual scenes are handled deeply, the drugs are films in full glory, and poignancy creeps in through cracks of the story.
Alison Lohman, who was SO good in the vastly underrated "Matchstick Men" has a good part here as a young journalist still somewhat infatuated with Lanny and Vince's famous duo. For me, her performance is the only one that never really takes off and leaves the screen, but I still went along with her character Karen, and it is not a serious or terribly noticeable flaw, simply a slight mismatching of actress to character; all though perhaps I find Karen a bit weaker and smarter than the other characters and no actress could have changed that.
Some quotes are a bit "bookish" and take us out of the movie for a moment, but even them I found working excellently. Bacon's voice-over in particular drips with confident malevolence. He has a speech on what he sees in Maureen's eyes in a key moment, that at first seems ridiculous and distant, but had me coming back and appreciating it more and more.
Overall, if you like the looks of the film/story/trailer/or even cover, it certainly delivers, and you will love it. The combination of drugs, mystery, lies, murder, fame, bisexuality, more drugs, more sex, and above all, Egoyan's flashy but confident directing, is stunning.
Not perfect, but a wild ride about manipulation, consequences, fame, and sex.
stylish and convincing drama
antoniotierno21 April 2006
Certainly an entertaining mystery novel, dressed up with sex scenes and continuous intrigues. All the three leads act properly, script and setting are appropriate and sharp; it's hard, as far as I can see, to find negative points in this film, apart from the long runtime. The drama is sexy and stylish at the same time and turns out in a meditation on identity, truth, lies. Alison Lohamn is inspired and very attractive, Kevin Bacon and Colin Firth terrific as usually. Besides the flick has some elements of humor, that is new for this director. It lacks the feeling of danger, that it would aim at giving with those locked rooms, but it manages to rise above a decently executed movie, that's sure.
Lobsters, lobsters, lobsters!
Maciste_Brother8 May 2007
Warning: Spoilers
See a miscast Kevin Bacon and Alison Lohman play roles that do not suit them at all. Bacon looks tired and gaunt, and Alison plays Karen as if she was Nancy Drew. Lohman's voice-overs are something else. They're so earnest and she enunciates every word with total conviction. Lohman is way over her head for such a, hmm, complex role (if complex is the right word to describe anything in this film). The shoes were too big for both actors to fill. But as miscast as Lohman was, her performance is so peculiar that it's almost works on a certain level of pastiche.
See Colin Firth give the only sensible performance in the whole film.
See bad acting from every secondary character, including embarrassing turns from Maury Chaykin as a mobster and David Hayman as Reuben, a latently gay, anal-retentive, over-protective psycho valet.
See a dozen truly unpleasant characters populating the confusing landscape, including Maureen, who ends up dead and basically no one really cares about.
See an over-directed mess of story, well there's really no story here but without the multiple time-lines, voice-overs, narrative structures, or other deliberately confusing techniques, people would have figured this out reasonably fast.
See a (very long scene) when Bonnie (Sonja Bennett) reads Lanny's manuscript from L.A. to her friend Karen (Lohman), who's in NY (expensive long distance charges!) then the film visually shows us what she's reading AND we hear Lanny (Bacon)'s voice reading what he wrote. Got that?
See uninspired cinematography of fake looking vintage production values, of different decades, with the 1950s filmed through a misty lens while the current time-line, 1970s, is shot clearly. Brilliant!
See loads of naked chicks, who, remarkably, all look the same, and even more remarkably, the nudity seems misplaced. The fake orgy scene, for example. Talk about gratuitous nudity.
See Kristin Adams dressed up as Alice in Wonderland singing Jefferson Airplane's uber drug anthem "White Rabbit" to a group of sick kids during a pageant!
See a drugged up Alison Lohman have sex with an equally stoned Kristin Adams, who is still dressed up as Alice in Wonderland.
See Alice in Wonderland give cunnilingus to Karen, the Nancy Drew wannabe, her face dripping wet as she moves away from between Karen's legs, while Colin Firth watches on.
Hear voice-overs that are supposed to be evocative but are so wordy, ever-present and clunky that they end up sinking the whole film.
Voice-overs such as: "If I can will my Polio away I'd certainly be able to will away the effect of any drug!" (this being my favorite)
"That moment, it changed my life. I was about to find my way into Lenny's book after he had found such a powerful way into mine" (phew!)
"The. Floor. Plan. Was. Still. The. Same!" (thanks for telling me)
"We were GODS!"
Hear dialogue not even Laurence Olivier could save: "The realization of your life story should not be threatened because of my failings!" Alison says to Colin, who happens to keep a straight face. Does anyone talk like that?
"This is my daughter. This is what I have of her," the old woman says of the tree she's standing in front of.
See lobsters, lobsters, lobsters! Lobsters play a **very** important part of the story. Don't laugh...OK, go ahead and laugh.
See shots of Kevin Bacon undressing Alison Lohman inter-cut with shots of lobsters.
See homophobia as the soon-to-be-dead Maureen blackmails Lanny and Vince after she witnessed Vince trying to penetrate Lanny during a threesome they had with her.
See totally confused direction as we're made to feel sorry for Maureen (that damn tree!) even if her actions as a blackmailer started the whole thing.
See even more homophobia as latently gay, anal-retentive, over-protective psycho valet Reuben (a totally unimportant character) is revealed to be the one who killed Maureen, the wannabe blackmailer no one really cared about.
All of this set to swirling, knowingly kitschy, overdone soundtrack.
See the fires of puberty! OK, maybe not but please see this film. It's a deliriously bad film, not since the likes of SHOWGIRLS!
See Colin Firth give the only sensible performance in the whole film.
See bad acting from every secondary character, including embarrassing turns from Maury Chaykin as a mobster and David Hayman as Reuben, a latently gay, anal-retentive, over-protective psycho valet.
See a dozen truly unpleasant characters populating the confusing landscape, including Maureen, who ends up dead and basically no one really cares about.
See an over-directed mess of story, well there's really no story here but without the multiple time-lines, voice-overs, narrative structures, or other deliberately confusing techniques, people would have figured this out reasonably fast.
See a (very long scene) when Bonnie (Sonja Bennett) reads Lanny's manuscript from L.A. to her friend Karen (Lohman), who's in NY (expensive long distance charges!) then the film visually shows us what she's reading AND we hear Lanny (Bacon)'s voice reading what he wrote. Got that?
See uninspired cinematography of fake looking vintage production values, of different decades, with the 1950s filmed through a misty lens while the current time-line, 1970s, is shot clearly. Brilliant!
See loads of naked chicks, who, remarkably, all look the same, and even more remarkably, the nudity seems misplaced. The fake orgy scene, for example. Talk about gratuitous nudity.
See Kristin Adams dressed up as Alice in Wonderland singing Jefferson Airplane's uber drug anthem "White Rabbit" to a group of sick kids during a pageant!
See a drugged up Alison Lohman have sex with an equally stoned Kristin Adams, who is still dressed up as Alice in Wonderland.
See Alice in Wonderland give cunnilingus to Karen, the Nancy Drew wannabe, her face dripping wet as she moves away from between Karen's legs, while Colin Firth watches on.
Hear voice-overs that are supposed to be evocative but are so wordy, ever-present and clunky that they end up sinking the whole film.
Voice-overs such as: "If I can will my Polio away I'd certainly be able to will away the effect of any drug!" (this being my favorite)
"That moment, it changed my life. I was about to find my way into Lenny's book after he had found such a powerful way into mine" (phew!)
"The. Floor. Plan. Was. Still. The. Same!" (thanks for telling me)
"We were GODS!"
Hear dialogue not even Laurence Olivier could save: "The realization of your life story should not be threatened because of my failings!" Alison says to Colin, who happens to keep a straight face. Does anyone talk like that?
"This is my daughter. This is what I have of her," the old woman says of the tree she's standing in front of.
See lobsters, lobsters, lobsters! Lobsters play a **very** important part of the story. Don't laugh...OK, go ahead and laugh.
See shots of Kevin Bacon undressing Alison Lohman inter-cut with shots of lobsters.
See homophobia as the soon-to-be-dead Maureen blackmails Lanny and Vince after she witnessed Vince trying to penetrate Lanny during a threesome they had with her.
See totally confused direction as we're made to feel sorry for Maureen (that damn tree!) even if her actions as a blackmailer started the whole thing.
See even more homophobia as latently gay, anal-retentive, over-protective psycho valet Reuben (a totally unimportant character) is revealed to be the one who killed Maureen, the wannabe blackmailer no one really cared about.
All of this set to swirling, knowingly kitschy, overdone soundtrack.
See the fires of puberty! OK, maybe not but please see this film. It's a deliriously bad film, not since the likes of SHOWGIRLS!
Sex, Drugs, (not so much Rock & Roll) and a Mystery....
galasius13 September 2005
Another great work by Atom Egoyan, based on the novel by Rupert Holmes.
Knowing a little about the plot before seeing the film my big question/concern was "Kevin Bacon"? Going in I just didn't see Bacon in such a roll. But it didn't take long before Egoyan's primary cast selection (including Kevin Bacon, Colin Firth, and Alison Lohman) was clearly calculated and well thought.
Some might call this Egoyan's 'most mainstream' work to date, but it retains many of the qualities we've come to expect from him. The screenplay was precisely developed to provide a great pace to the story, and to provide little 'bits and pieces' of key information just when you need them. It doesn't give the truth away too early, yet when the secret is finally revealed it's accompanied by a sense of "I should have seen that coming".
This film does deal with some 'touchy' cinematic subjects including sex and drug use. What should be truly disturbing is the murder in question, but 'simple' murder is accepted in film without a second thought.
The screening I saw was the 'uncut' version of the film. There has apparently been some controversy surrounding some of the films content, so I don't know whether this is the version the movie-going public will eventually see in mass-market theatres. It contained some pretty graphic sex, but it wasn't gratuitous - it served a purpose in the development of the characters and story. These scenes, while clearly not suitable for a younger audience, belong in this film.
An excellent film, as most have come to expect from Egoyan.
Knowing a little about the plot before seeing the film my big question/concern was "Kevin Bacon"? Going in I just didn't see Bacon in such a roll. But it didn't take long before Egoyan's primary cast selection (including Kevin Bacon, Colin Firth, and Alison Lohman) was clearly calculated and well thought.
Some might call this Egoyan's 'most mainstream' work to date, but it retains many of the qualities we've come to expect from him. The screenplay was precisely developed to provide a great pace to the story, and to provide little 'bits and pieces' of key information just when you need them. It doesn't give the truth away too early, yet when the secret is finally revealed it's accompanied by a sense of "I should have seen that coming".
This film does deal with some 'touchy' cinematic subjects including sex and drug use. What should be truly disturbing is the murder in question, but 'simple' murder is accepted in film without a second thought.
The screening I saw was the 'uncut' version of the film. There has apparently been some controversy surrounding some of the films content, so I don't know whether this is the version the movie-going public will eventually see in mass-market theatres. It contained some pretty graphic sex, but it wasn't gratuitous - it served a purpose in the development of the characters and story. These scenes, while clearly not suitable for a younger audience, belong in this film.
An excellent film, as most have come to expect from Egoyan.
Good film noir, which is hard to find.
kaspen1219 March 2006
Starring: Kevin Bacon, Alison Lohman, Colin Firth
Firth and Bacon play Vince Collins and Lanny Morris, a famous comedic duo, who, in the 1950s, were best known for their work hosting Polio telethons. The schtick was simple: Collins (Firth), British and ever the gentleman, played straightman to Lanny (Bacon), the say-anything womanizer. When a girl they'd "met" winds up dead, the boys find themselves in hot water and the gig is up. The investigation is blown over, the body is cremated, and Morris & Collins call it quits as a duo.
Flash-forward some fifteen years, where aspiring journalist Karen O'Connor (Lohman, a complete dead-ringer for Elisha Cuthbert) has snagged herself a major book deal: Collins will tell-all to her an in exclusive interview that will become an official biography, previewed with a magazine article. If she can get him to open up about "the incident", she's got herself a story. There's a problem, however. Lanny, who wrote all of their material back of the day, plans to write a tell-all book himself. The script exploits the writing angle to use expositive voice-overs, and it works well, perhaps only because Bacon gives his voice a sleezy grit that makes listening to it irresistible.
The first 45mins of the film are completely flawless: terrificly acted, and very stylish, as director Atom Egoyan gives the film a fuzzy look that makes the whole ordeal seem slightly nostalgic. Then things derail a little. That's not to say it collapses, but the script meanders a bit, and didn't hold my interest as well as the opening. It doesn't take things too long to get things back on track, however. What did happen that night with that girl, and why won't anyone talk about it? This is what the movie is really about, and just when you think you know, it flips things on their head.
FINAL SCORE: 8.4/10 = B+
I can recognize this movie isn't for everyone, and you'll probably love it or hate it. But I liked this movie. A lot. Lohman was a little iffy at times, but Firth and Bacon more than made up for her -- plus, she gets naked, and that's always a nice bonus. It was stylish, and its twists actually surprised me. Pure film noir is hard to come by these days, and when it's good, well, what more can you ask for. It's a good little movie that should find an audience on DVD.
Firth and Bacon play Vince Collins and Lanny Morris, a famous comedic duo, who, in the 1950s, were best known for their work hosting Polio telethons. The schtick was simple: Collins (Firth), British and ever the gentleman, played straightman to Lanny (Bacon), the say-anything womanizer. When a girl they'd "met" winds up dead, the boys find themselves in hot water and the gig is up. The investigation is blown over, the body is cremated, and Morris & Collins call it quits as a duo.
Flash-forward some fifteen years, where aspiring journalist Karen O'Connor (Lohman, a complete dead-ringer for Elisha Cuthbert) has snagged herself a major book deal: Collins will tell-all to her an in exclusive interview that will become an official biography, previewed with a magazine article. If she can get him to open up about "the incident", she's got herself a story. There's a problem, however. Lanny, who wrote all of their material back of the day, plans to write a tell-all book himself. The script exploits the writing angle to use expositive voice-overs, and it works well, perhaps only because Bacon gives his voice a sleezy grit that makes listening to it irresistible.
The first 45mins of the film are completely flawless: terrificly acted, and very stylish, as director Atom Egoyan gives the film a fuzzy look that makes the whole ordeal seem slightly nostalgic. Then things derail a little. That's not to say it collapses, but the script meanders a bit, and didn't hold my interest as well as the opening. It doesn't take things too long to get things back on track, however. What did happen that night with that girl, and why won't anyone talk about it? This is what the movie is really about, and just when you think you know, it flips things on their head.
FINAL SCORE: 8.4/10 = B+
I can recognize this movie isn't for everyone, and you'll probably love it or hate it. But I liked this movie. A lot. Lohman was a little iffy at times, but Firth and Bacon more than made up for her -- plus, she gets naked, and that's always a nice bonus. It was stylish, and its twists actually surprised me. Pure film noir is hard to come by these days, and when it's good, well, what more can you ask for. It's a good little movie that should find an audience on DVD.
Want to know where the truth lies ?
gromeks-18 January 2006
The 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.
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.
Where The Truth Hides
Chrysanthepop24 March 2008
Egoyan immediately sets the noir tone of 'Where The Truth Lies' by revealing so much yet cleverly not telling anything. The film gets straight to the point right from the start as we are introduced to a Jerry Lewis Dean Martin type entertainment duo, a haunting image of a corpse in a bathtub and a determined young lady wanting to write about her idols. The slick editing allows the film to maintain its steady track. Egoyan finely contrasts the 50s and 70s. The wonderful mise en scene, flashy lighting and score bring out a 50's feel. While the score brings out a lot of mysteriousness of the 70s (the sex and drugs phase). The camera-work deserves mention. Most of the scenes of the 50's scenes were effectively done with long shots, while a lot of the 70's scenes were shot with quick snaps.
Then there's the unusual cast that includes Kevin Bacon, Alison Lohman and Colin Firth. Bacon gives an energetic performance as the younger Lanny Morris of the 50s and he brings a 'lost' maturity as the 70's Morris. While a majority have stated Lohman as being miscast, I found her to have the right combination of naivety, sex appeal and vulnerability as Karen. The actress certainly holds her own in the presence of the more accomplished actors and bravely carries the film. Firth is remarkable and he completely sheds his Darcy image and gives a more restrained (and sometimes explosive, where required) performance as Vince Collins. Rachel Blanchard demonstrates the right kind of deceitful innocence and enigma.
Some have stated the sex scenes to be of a 'cold' nature. However, I didn't see it that way. Sexuality is an integral part of the film and it is hinted that each character sees it differently. Bacon's Morris pays a lot of attention to his sexual partner's eyes and after-sex behaviour. I can't reveal much about the other characters without spilling out spoilers but their views differ. There's the frighteningly erotic love scene between Alice and Karen followed by a distraught look on Lohman's face. The last sex-scene was particularly disturbing as this is the scene that brings out their alternative side.
However, the revelation in the end was a bit of a letdown. Not because of the twist which is clever enough but the motivation behind it would have worked better had more background information been provided. Where The Truth Lies' mainly works because of Egoyan's unique presentation and storytelling, the visual flair, the performances, the score and the stunning combination of all the themes ie, sex, drugs, sexuality, murder, fame (sounds a bit clichéd but it is shown differently).
Then there's the unusual cast that includes Kevin Bacon, Alison Lohman and Colin Firth. Bacon gives an energetic performance as the younger Lanny Morris of the 50s and he brings a 'lost' maturity as the 70's Morris. While a majority have stated Lohman as being miscast, I found her to have the right combination of naivety, sex appeal and vulnerability as Karen. The actress certainly holds her own in the presence of the more accomplished actors and bravely carries the film. Firth is remarkable and he completely sheds his Darcy image and gives a more restrained (and sometimes explosive, where required) performance as Vince Collins. Rachel Blanchard demonstrates the right kind of deceitful innocence and enigma.
Some have stated the sex scenes to be of a 'cold' nature. However, I didn't see it that way. Sexuality is an integral part of the film and it is hinted that each character sees it differently. Bacon's Morris pays a lot of attention to his sexual partner's eyes and after-sex behaviour. I can't reveal much about the other characters without spilling out spoilers but their views differ. There's the frighteningly erotic love scene between Alice and Karen followed by a distraught look on Lohman's face. The last sex-scene was particularly disturbing as this is the scene that brings out their alternative side.
However, the revelation in the end was a bit of a letdown. Not because of the twist which is clever enough but the motivation behind it would have worked better had more background information been provided. Where The Truth Lies' mainly works because of Egoyan's unique presentation and storytelling, the visual flair, the performances, the score and the stunning combination of all the themes ie, sex, drugs, sexuality, murder, fame (sounds a bit clichéd but it is shown differently).
Strong acting in a original mystery-plot
Enchorde18 October 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Recap: Famous and popular comic duo of Lanny and Vince splits up after a national telethon - after which a young girl is mysteriously found dead in their hotel suite. Now, 15 years later, a young journalist out to prove herself get the job to meet her childhood idols and hopefully uncover the truth about what really happened.
Comments: This is good mystery carried mostly by the strong play of the three main stars, Bacon, Firth and Lohman. The mystery is quite easy to solve, especially to guess the villain. But it's the why and how that is intriguing to follow and find out why. And it's there that the strong play of the actors really pull the movie together. Don't get me wrong, because even if the villain is easy to guess, the story is good. It leaves small pieces of details and clues here and there, changing quickly between the retrospective telling and the present relationship of Karen, Lanny and Vince. But without the acting that is there, the story, the characters and what happens between them would have been so much less interesting. Now, it actually feels like it matters, and what more can a fictional movie want? Although it is mostly a crime and mystery movie, there is a comic element in there as well, mostly in the first half of the movie. Bacon and Firth really works well as the comic duo and some of the dialog really tugged at my lips.
Overall, I was very happy to have seen this movie, and I can recommend it. Even if it isn't one of my personal favourites.
7/10
Comments: This is good mystery carried mostly by the strong play of the three main stars, Bacon, Firth and Lohman. The mystery is quite easy to solve, especially to guess the villain. But it's the why and how that is intriguing to follow and find out why. And it's there that the strong play of the actors really pull the movie together. Don't get me wrong, because even if the villain is easy to guess, the story is good. It leaves small pieces of details and clues here and there, changing quickly between the retrospective telling and the present relationship of Karen, Lanny and Vince. But without the acting that is there, the story, the characters and what happens between them would have been so much less interesting. Now, it actually feels like it matters, and what more can a fictional movie want? Although it is mostly a crime and mystery movie, there is a comic element in there as well, mostly in the first half of the movie. Bacon and Firth really works well as the comic duo and some of the dialog really tugged at my lips.
Overall, I was very happy to have seen this movie, and I can recommend it. Even if it isn't one of my personal favourites.
7/10
Weird Weird Weird plus Sex
babsbnz23 November 2005
This movie reminded me of "Mulholland Drive" which was not one of my favorites....I kept waiting for it to end and it seemed to go on forever. This time we've got the comedy duo who were bit stars in the 1950's and has-beens 30 years later. But a young girl, star journalist, who is obsessed with them decides to investigate a dead body incident that basically killed their career. The plots and time eras jumped around a lot.....eventually I kept track of what time frame we were in by the toupees Kevin and Colin wore. Allison Lohman seemed too young and innocent looking for the role. There were many scenes of quite graphic sex; I am not a prude but was somewhat surprised by it. Anyhow, strange movie, not terrible but clearly not one Firth or Bacon will be remembered for (I hope).
Very Interesting Twist on the Martin and Lewis Story
deby-keller5 October 2006
Really enjoyed this movie though I had a hard time following all the twists and turns. By the end of the movie, I still didn't quite understand what was true and what wasn't and what everyone's motives were. It's one I'll be thinking about for a while.
The movie is about a comedy team reminiscent of Martin and Lewis, with a murder mystery thrown in. Lots of flashbacks and back and forth storytelling as it starts in the late 60's and goes back to the 50's as the resolution to the mystery unfolds. Includes drugs, nudity and sex but it is germane to the story line. Could only recommend to persons who enjoy knowing more about the era of the 50's and also enjoy a complex mystery like myself.
The movie is about a comedy team reminiscent of Martin and Lewis, with a murder mystery thrown in. Lots of flashbacks and back and forth storytelling as it starts in the late 60's and goes back to the 50's as the resolution to the mystery unfolds. Includes drugs, nudity and sex but it is germane to the story line. Could only recommend to persons who enjoy knowing more about the era of the 50's and also enjoy a complex mystery like myself.
Bad casting decision
sergepesic10 November 2008
Oh, what a difference bad casting decision can make. " Where the truth lies" had such a great potential. Two very strong leading actors, Kevin Bacon and Colin Firth, intriguing story, creative director, but... The catastrophic acting of Alison Lohman sabotaged the whole thing. The utter lack of artistic presence, wobbly, girlish voice, completely at odds with the part. There are thousands of talented young actresses, and why in the world would you cast her. There was no saving this movie after that bad decision. Two leading protagonists were doing their very best, lovely camera work brought us back to the times long gone. But to no avail.What a shame.
Interesting- Should never have been given more then R rating
bheidere13 October 2005
I saw this at a screening last week and just have to set the record straight. This is not a sex flick. It is a story set in the 1950's and 1970's and the relationships involve some adult behavior. (Remember the 70's when there were a lot of drugs and a lot of sex? Sure not everyone lived the party life but some did and that is all Where the Truth Lies shows). Intimacy is part of the story, character development and not put in just to show some skin. Plus Atom directed the film so well that you are never drawn to the nudity, you are drawn to the characters. Bravo to Firth and Bacon for genuine performances, and not shying away from a good story. Lesser actors could not have pulled it off. It is an honest, beautifully shot film. Sometimes it felt long but maybe I was just tired. Nothing in this film is offensive unless you are a very immature adult. Worth the $ to see this movie.
Perfect example of how a cast can destroy the movie
sauravjoshi856 May 2020
Where the truth lies is a erotic mystery movie directed by Atom Egoyan and stars Kevin Bacon, Colin Firth, Alison Lohman, Rachel Blanchard and Maury Bennett.
Credit should be given to the director to hold the suspense till the very last moment of the movie. The plot is sharp and intelligent and to some extent the execution is good.
Acting is superb by Kevin and Colin but when it comes to Alison the problem arises. This was probably one of the most strongest character of the movie but sloppy work by Alison ruins the game.
Screenplay is slow and might be boring for certain viewers. Background music is strong. Climax is interesting. The only drawback of the movie and which is probably one of the major setback is casting. A good cast in the place of Alison could've done the trick.
Credit should be given to the director to hold the suspense till the very last moment of the movie. The plot is sharp and intelligent and to some extent the execution is good.
Acting is superb by Kevin and Colin but when it comes to Alison the problem arises. This was probably one of the most strongest character of the movie but sloppy work by Alison ruins the game.
Screenplay is slow and might be boring for certain viewers. Background music is strong. Climax is interesting. The only drawback of the movie and which is probably one of the major setback is casting. A good cast in the place of Alison could've done the trick.
Confusing and implausible whodunnit
jack_malvern21 September 2005
There 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.
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.
Great movie
crookedk17 October 2005
Just saw this movie last night.....
I have been reading reviews and posts about this movie for the last few weeks, and all I kept hearing was "wow it is very graphic", and "MPAA, and NC-17" blah blah blah.
So, last night I finally got the opportunity to form my own opinion. The one that was formed is, I love it. The acting is great, the story flows very well, back an forth, from the past to the present. I never felt too lost or confused. It all tied in by the end of the movie and wrapped up nicely.
I kept waiting for a big controversial scene??? And it never came. There was some explicit sex,but nothing outrageous. It only added to the story, and the general look and feel of the movie. It made the movie sexier, and more intriguing.
Bottom Line-See the movie, it is worth the watch.
I have been reading reviews and posts about this movie for the last few weeks, and all I kept hearing was "wow it is very graphic", and "MPAA, and NC-17" blah blah blah.
So, last night I finally got the opportunity to form my own opinion. The one that was formed is, I love it. The acting is great, the story flows very well, back an forth, from the past to the present. I never felt too lost or confused. It all tied in by the end of the movie and wrapped up nicely.
I kept waiting for a big controversial scene??? And it never came. There was some explicit sex,but nothing outrageous. It only added to the story, and the general look and feel of the movie. It made the movie sexier, and more intriguing.
Bottom Line-See the movie, it is worth the watch.
Sultry Murder Mystery With Snappy Dialogue
lavatch2 January 2023
Warning: Spoilers
"Where the Truth Lies" combines elements of film noir, the thriller, and dark comedy. While the pacing was sluggish in places, there was a good payoff at the end that ties together the complicated narrative strands.
Kevin Bacon (Lanny) and Colin Firth (Vince) team up to play a pair of performers modeled on Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin. At one point, the team has a falling out, and the "break-up" creates shock waves in the entertainment industry.
The eager reporter Bonnie Trout (using an alias) worms her way into the lives of the famous team of Lanny and Vince. She has a nose for details, and she is successful in peeling away the layers on the key incident the led to the stars' break-up: the grisly death of a young woman named Maureen O'Flaherty.
The film was well-scripted, and the actors brought an emotional roller coaster to the action. It was a challenge to blend so many film styles, including a wicked satire of the sordid lives in the field of entertainment.
Kevin Bacon (Lanny) and Colin Firth (Vince) team up to play a pair of performers modeled on Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin. At one point, the team has a falling out, and the "break-up" creates shock waves in the entertainment industry.
The eager reporter Bonnie Trout (using an alias) worms her way into the lives of the famous team of Lanny and Vince. She has a nose for details, and she is successful in peeling away the layers on the key incident the led to the stars' break-up: the grisly death of a young woman named Maureen O'Flaherty.
The film was well-scripted, and the actors brought an emotional roller coaster to the action. It was a challenge to blend so many film styles, including a wicked satire of the sordid lives in the field of entertainment.
Terrible, terrible movie
ajkenyon8111 November 2005
In a word, awful. This is a movie that gets too caught up in being "convoluted" and "deep" that it loses sight of any actual plot. It doesn't have an ounce of subtlety to it - it bludgeons the viewer over the head with any plot point that is even remotely important by repeating it at least twice - and what little plot it has is overwhelmed by its awfulness. The dialogue is terrible, with a few exceptions, and Alison Lohman's acting leaves much to be desired. Kevin Bacon and Colin Firth do the best they can with what they have, and Firth actually has one or two very good moments, but on the whole this movie is best left alone. I would only recommend it as a novelty, because it takes a special effort for a film to be this spectacularly bad.
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