| Where the Truth Lies
BY ROGER EBERT / October 28, 2005
"Where the Truth Lies" is film noir right down to
the plot we can barely track; we're reminded of William Faulkner asking
Raymond Chandler who did it in "The Big Sleep" and Chandler saying he
wasn't sure. Certainly somebody did it in "Where the Truth Lies," or how
would a dead waitress from Miami end up in a bathtub in Atlantic City? The
waitress was last seen in the Miami suite of Lanny Morris and Vince
Collins, two famous 1950s entertainers. Their alibi: They were on TV doing
their polio telethon, and then got directly on a plane and flew to New
York with a lot of other people, and had a police escort to their hotel,
where the body was awaiting them.
Atom Egoyan, no stranger to labyrinthine plots,
makes this one into a whodunit puzzle crossed with some faraway echoes of
"Sunset Boulevard," as an entertainer is confronted with events from the
past that might best be left forgotten. The movie takes place in 1957 and
1972, and both of those years involve the crucial participation of
beautiful young blondes who want to interview the two stars.
In 1957, Morris (Kevin Bacon) and Collins (Colin
Firth) are at the height of their fame, doing a nightclub act not a
million miles apart from Martin and Lewis. The secret of their
round-the-clock energy is the use of pills, lots of pills from their Dr.
Feelgood, which give them more urgency than they need in the realm of sex.
A college student named Maureen O'Flaherty (Rachel Blanchard) arrives at
their suite with room service, and when they suggest another kind of
service, she seems sort of willing. She wants to interview them for her
school paper.
It is Maureen who is found dead in Atlantic City,
leading to a mystery that is never solved, and to the breakup of Morris
and Collins. Flash forward to 1972, and another would-be reporter, Karen
O'Connor (Alison Lohman). Still in her mid-20s, she negotiates a $1
million book contract for Collins, who needs the money, but tells him he
will have to talk about the murder of Maureen O'Flaherty. What Collins
doesn't know is that Karen earlier met Lanny Morris on an airplane,
followed him to his hotel room, and was dumped the next morning. What a
rotter. What neither man knows is that Karen first met them in 1957, when
as a young polio victim she appeared on their telethon. Nor does she know
that Morris' tears as he talked to her were inspired not by her plight but
by his knowledge that a dead waitress was on the sofa in their hotel
suite.
Who killed the waitress, and why? It's a classic
locked room mystery; all the relevant doors were locked from the inside,
and so either man could have done it. But what if neither did? One
imagines Ellery Queen rubbing his hands and getting down to work.
The attempts of Karen O'Connor to get Collins to
talk are complicated by his own secrecy, financial need, lust, and general
depravity. From his hillside mansion in Los Angeles, he lives in lonely
isolation, happy to come and go as he pleases. His former partner Morris
maintains an office and is apparently more active in showbiz, and both of
them have reasons to pressure and mislead the young woman.
Because I have seen " Where the Truth Lies" twice
and enjoyed it more when I understood its secrets, I don't understand why
several critics have found Alison Lohman wrong for the job of playing the
reporter in 1972. Is she too young? If she was nine in 1957, she would be
24 in 1972. Would a publisher give her such responsibility? If she can
really deliver Collins, maybe one would -- and the money depends on
delivering. Is it a coincidence that Miss O'Connor looks something like
Miss O'Flaherty? No, not if what she represents for both men is an eerie
shadow from the past.
The movie departs from film noir and enters the
characteristic world of Atom Egoyan in its depiction of sex. Both blondes,
and a third one I will not describe, are involved in fairly specific sex
scenes with one or both men, and the sad and desperate nature of this sex
is a reminder of such Egoyan films as "Exotica." The MPAA rated the film
NC-17 and refused an appeal, so it's being released unrated, but the sex
really isn't the point of the scenes in question; it's the application of
power, and the way that showbiz success can give stars unsavory leverage
with young women who are more impressed than they should be.
Kevin Bacon is on a roll right now after several
good roles, and here he channels diabolical sleaze while mugging joylessly
before the telethon cameras. His relationship with the Colin Firth
character involves love and hate and perhaps more furtive feelings. There
is a stunning scene in a nightclub where a drunk insults Morris, and
Collins invites him backstage for a terrifying demonstration of precisely
how those happy pills do not make everyone equally happy.
Lohman has the central role. I've known young
reporters like her. Some of them may be reading this review. You know who
you are. She is smart, sexy, hungering for a big story, burning with
ambition, and (most dangerous all) still harboring idealistic delusions.
Would a young woman like this find herself suddenly inside two lives of
secrecy and denial? Yes, more easily than Kitty Kelly would, because she
doesn't seem to represent a threat. Her youth is crucial because in some
way the danger Maureen O'Flaherty walked into is still potentially there.
There's another way in which the movie works, and
that's through the introduction of an unexpected character, Maureen's
mother. Another director might handle the showbiz and the murder and
intrigue with dispatch, but Egoyan thinks about the emotional cost to the
characters, as he also did in "Felicia's Journey." The mother and the
young reporter have a meeting during which we discover the single good
reason why the solution to the murder should not be revealed. It is a
flawed reason, because it depends on the wrong solution, but that isn't
the point: It functions to end the film in poignancy rather than
sensation. |
|
REVIEW "WHERE THE TRUTH
LIES"
BY LINDA WALDROP, HOUSTON, TEXAS 11/4/2005
SPOILERS AND LONG
When the announcement of the role for Where the Truth Lies was first
announced my first reaction was, Atom Egoyan, big name director, but had I
seen his work? The answer was no. I did two things immediately. Ordered
the book on line and read it and went in search of and viewed previous
Egoyan films. I was impressed by both and felt this was just the kind of
role that Colin needed to break out of the rom/com rut he was in and
better yet would put him on the mainstream radar in Hollywood. Realizing
that most recent movie viewers only knew him from What a Girl Wants, Love
Actually, and Bridget Jones, I knew if he pulled this role off there would
be many pleasantly surprised critics and viewers. Of course, he did just
that, in a brilliant performance as Vince Collins opposite the equally
brilliant Kevin Bacon and a surprisingly very good performance from Alison
Lohman. I never had any doubts he would nail this role, but was pleased to
read and hear critics and viewers remarks, respectively, about how amazing
Colin Firth did in this role.
After a marathon thirteen viewings with Diane on the opening
weekend in Houston, Texas, I have analyzed and digested the movie enough
to write my own impressions for your considerations. The first viewing was
amazing as many things were lost by the sheer enjoyment of seeing Colin on
the big screen again. The next four viewings that day became more critical
and I noticed small things, both good and bad, about the film and took
note of each. On Saturday, we took a note pad and spent each viewing
updating cast and writing down important quotes and scenes we liked with
Colin's hands, his walk, etc. By Sunday, we just sat back and watched a
movie that we had really grown to love, a wonderfully acted murder mystery
which is really what it is, sex controversy and all.
Inevitability, a discussion of the sex scenes must be part of any detailed
review. First let me expel some myths about "all" the sex in this film.
One, there was one full frontal scene of one woman standing in a room.
Two, there was NO frontal nudity by any of the male characters, not even
close. Some of the sex scenes were uncomfortable and seemed in excess. On
analysis, however, I was always keeping in mind quotes by Egoyan about the
mood he was trying to set in his viewers of an uncomfortable feeling with
the excesses of the lifestyles of the famous in Hollywood in the 1950's. I
must admit he was brilliantly successful with me. Also, keeping in mind
the decision of the MPAA board to label this film with the dreaded NC-17
rating and the implications this would have on the range of viewers the
film would actually reach, I had to conclude that some further cutting of
the sex scenes could have been made without harming the audience feeling
intent or the storyline of the film; and would have opened this film up to
a wider audience. In my view, some academy award nominations, not to
mention much larger box office receipts, would have been the rewards for a
bit more editing. I fear that is remote with the NC-17 rating. There were
two oral sex scenes, only one offensive because of the after view of one
of the participants. If you just cut that one shot the whole film would
have been better and that scene does nothing for the film. The other oral
sex scene does not have it and it doesn't hurt that scene at all. So that
would be one that could have gone. The opening sex scene with Kevin and
Denise, their publicist, was actually comical, as his thrusting was so
large, big (I don't know what word to use to describe this, but, you could
actually see there was no contact between them. Diane and I kept joking,
who does Kevin think he is, Colin? This could have easily been done under
sheets and then thrusting, which was the MPAA issue with this film, would
have been a moot point. All the other sex scenes were very tastefully done
and the oft written about final scene, the menage-a-trois was perfect and
not offensive at all. This was the most dramatic scene in the movie,
invoking the most emotion from the audience. No pun intended but it truly
was a powerful climax to the film. According to Egoyan the number of
thrusts in this one scene got them the NC-17 rating. The reason for that
was a voiceover by Bacon that took some time and the scene required a
longer love scene to cover that, but it was very subdued love making with
very little nudity, a side view of Rachel Blanchard's breast, no frontal
nudity at all in this scene. It was not a very long scene, it was succinct
and to the point, Colin arrives, the menage-a-trois takes all of a few
seconds and it is over. This scene is probably the least offensive of all
the scenes, but the most emotional because of the implications on the
partnership of Collins and Morris. By now, the viewer has bought into the
friendship and this hurts not only Vince and Lanny, but the viewer who
cares about them.
The only real violence is when Vince beats the heck out of a heckler. By
the time this scene comes up, the viewer is wishing they could get in a
few licks themselves. This guy is way out of line and makes the most
offensive remark in the whole movie and deserves just what he gets. The
Vince and Lanny Show is a nightclub act. Vince is the gentleman and Lanny
is the crude one. If you don't want to hear his crude remarks you
shouldn't go to their shows. Joe, the heckler, goes beyond the pale, and
gets what he deserves. Remember, this is the 50's, people aren't sue
happy; if someone is insulting you fight it out like men. It may not fit
in today's society, but this movie is supposed to take you back to another
time. That was how it was in the 50's. The loyalty is strongly developed
between these two guys, which sets you up at the end to the total
devastation of the act which finally breaks them up. Both men are injured
for life because there was such a strong bond between them. Vince's
reaction while over-the-top due to use of bennies is due to that loyalty
to his partner.
The drug use is excessive also. But remember in the 70's, it was excessive
everywhere and in the 50's it was excessive among the rich and famous.
That understanding is essential to the story no matter how uncomfortable
that fact is to the viewer.
I am still confused as to those who can not follow the flashbacks. Each is
preceded by a statement leading in to it. Each flashback is used to tell a
specific piece of the puzzle. The clothing, look of both men and the fact
that they are together doing there act or in their hotel suite tells you
it is the 50's, if they are older, alone, with a grown up Alison Lohman,
and with long graying hair, it is the 70's. I found it very easy to
follow. They show you three editions of the last scene with Rachel
Blanchard, first Lanny's untrue version, then the true version as Lanny
and Vince know it, and lastly, the real version which Alison's character,
Karen, uncovers. The last version shows you the pertinent part which
uncovers the twist to the mystery which has been covered up for the last
fifteen years.
Alison Lohman starts off a bit naive, writing about two heroes from her
childhood, but Egoyan has her grow up and mature before our eyes as she
delves into the lives of these men and uncovers "where the truth lies."
The genuine charisma on stage between Firth and Bacon made their comedy
team believable and made one wish for more of their show to be included in
the film. Long shots of the duo walking through clubs, hotel lobbies, and
among throngs of fans built a view of the persona which goes along with
the fame of a team such as Martin and Lewis from the 50's and added to the
believability of their act and their relationship. This believability
affects the viewers reactions to the end scenes when it all comes crashing
down. All of this is brilliantly done Mr. Egoyan.
It is my belief that if Atom Egoyan had put the first, rather comical sex
scene under the sheets and eliminated the offensive after oral sex shot,
the MPAA board may have let the number of thrusts in the menage-a-trois
through and given this movie the deserved R rating which would have
rewarded Egoyan, Bacon and Firth due consideration by awards committees
for the upcoming season. In addition, it would have substantially added to
their bank accounts, as it truly is a beautifully shot, wonderfully
scored film with truly superb performances by the lead actors. |
