Pants on Fire

The audience for the 1998 Maine International Film Festival's closing night movie loved "Pants on Fire". Writer/director Rocky Collins described it that night as a domestic melodrama. I felt that the movie artfully walked a fine, high wire. Now a farce, now a black comedy, yet never over-played by the (mostly) unknown cast. To call this a good first film doesn't begin to do it justice. It is a good piece of work, period. Thanks, Rocky.

Now known as "Liar, Liar Pants On Fire" and playing the Independent screenings on weekends, I found the story and cast ensemble and continuity to be tightly woven and delightfully unpredictable -- to the point of not knowing who to cheer for as we (the viewers) subliminally take sides in issues of marriage and fidelity. The film never gets far from the "Liar, liar pants on fire" adage of childhood emotions. These emotions periodically percolate to the surface only to be submerged again as adult desire and innocent cover-ups make another round or two. Love and sex can be the same or separate or simultaneous human experiences.

The only flaw I experienced was a reference to specific dates in time in the story (i.e. 1999 and 2000). The script should have neutered itself and stayed with 'June', or 'August' or 'two years from now' since I had to reset my own clock to needlessly shave two years away from the story plot at a time I did not need any distraction.

"Pants on Fire" really surprised me at our local film society's annual Olympia Film Festival... a relationship movie that doesn't suck in any way. Now that's high praise.

Great performances, solid filmmaking and a fantastic, funny, real, smart script... I can't believe this movie hasn't gotten the attention it deserves. This film is definitely worth making the effort to find. I'm looking forward to seeing it again and, hopefully, whatever Rocky Collins does next!