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Where The Truth Lies cast: Kevin Bacon, Colin Firth, and Alison Lohman director: Atom Egoyan 108 minutes (18) 2005 widescreen ratio 16:9 Momentum DVD Region 2 retail [released 1 May] RATING: 9/10 reviewed by Debbie Moon |
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Ambitious journalist Karen O'Connor (Alison Lohman) is offered the contract of a lifetime,
interviewing Vince Collins (Colin Firth), one half of a 1950s' double act that were her
childhood heroes. The duo split up after a hotel maid was found dead in their suite
under mysterious circumstances, and uncovering what really happened that night would
be the journalistic scoop of the century. But when she finds herself sitting next to
his former partner Lanny Morris (Kevin Bacon) on a plane, Karen realises the situation
will look like a setup, and decides to assume a friend's identity to avoid complications.
But she has no idea how deeply she is about to become involved in the two men's complex
and manipulative relationship, or how hard it's going to be to tell the lies from the
truth... Atom Egoyan's devious, absorbing movie is less of a murder mystery and more of an exploration of how public personas crumble, childhood heroes fail you, and no story is ever really the truth. Everyone has their version of events to tell, but everyone has an angle and a motive, so how can Karen ever really get to the facts? And, as she increasingly loses her objectivity, is she committing what Vince considers a mortal sin and writing herself into the story? Beautifully shot in rich colours that recall the 1960s and 1970s' settings, dream-like and often disturbing, and full of magnificent performances, this is a hugely intriguing and enjoyable film. The initially unlikely pairing of Bacon and Firth play off each other perfectly, and Lohman adds just the right mixture of ambition and naiveté. The unravelling of the mystery is entirely satisfying but nearly impossible to predict, but it's the twists and turns of character that really keep you watching. While the explicit sexual scenes mean you probably don't want to watch it with your granny, Where The Truth Lies is a fantastic film with a lot to say about celebrity and human nature, that will stay with you long after the credits roll. Highly recommended. DVD extras: extended footage of the 'benefit concert' featured in flashbacks, a decent making-of featurette, a few deleted scenes, and a trailer.
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