Beyond Lies

"A father does what he has to do to protect his children." Stephen Elliott (Franco) is a successful writer who is going through a bout of writers block. He begins to find inspiration in a court case involving the murder of a woman by her husband. The trial begins to drag up painful memories of his own past and living with his father Neil (Harris). When Neil once again shows up Stephen begins to spiral and it effects every aspect of his life. This is a strange movie. The acting is great, as expected but the idea is a little generic and overused. The thing that really keeps the movie from being too cookie cutter are the actors. Franco does a great job playing the tortured soul, Heard is great as the confused girlfriend and Harris, as always, steals the movie and plays his part so perfect that you aren't sure if he is really as bad as Elliott portrays him. All that said this is a a decent movie but nothing to rush and see. Overall, great acting and casting really makes this movie better than it could have been. Worth a rent. I give this a B-.

This was a pretty good turn for Franco, one of his best attempts at drama in indi cinema.

Franco is the protagonist, a writer who wrote a great book about his broken childhood, and the relationship with his abusive father, but it comes to life that what he's passing off as truth may not be all that, and he tries to redeem his career with a new book about a True Crime, evolving a father (played by Christian Slater, who I have not scene in forever) whose on trail for the murder of his wife.

It's an Intriguing story about how sometimes we remember things differently than they actually happen. James Franco played this role well. It was not a matter of weather he was right or wrong, but just a matter of how he saw things that was not entirely accurate.

Ed Harris and Franco had some really good scenes together as well. Harris played the abusive father who, like his son, remembers events differently. The father son connection felt very realistic.

This is not the first time Franco has done a film on Child abuse (also not the fist time Amber Heard played an ex-punk rock bases with a few issues, she also did it in the recent but horrible film One More Time). Franco also tackled the trouble youth Topic in the film Yosemite, but that movie was a little more serious while this one is definitely better done.

I can recommend.

Given the Title, Adderall (focus driven medication prescribed for ADHD and narcolepsy), it's only mentioned as a "Catch-All" for Drug Addiction.

James Franco is getting to the Point where No One can take Him Seriously anymore. So Overexposed and with Limited Ability to Transcend His Own Personality, He gives Performance after Performance Playing Himself.

A Best Selling Memoir from Author Stephen Elliott is the Source Material. The Plot of the Movie Explores Memory Confabulation. It's a Heady Affair that Lacks Focus. It Rambles with Borderline Incoherence Dealing with so many Profound Subjects that most of it is Lost in the Translation of Clichéd Sex and Drug Behavior Attempting to be "Indie-Edgy" with Sadomasochism.

Nothing is Drawn from the Personality Disorders or Family Dysfunction beyond "True Crime" Motivations and to be frank, not much is Realized even there.

A Mess of a Movie with Ed Harris Overacting to Burn Up the Screen with Hidden Clues about what Really Happened. In the End it is Doubtful You will Care. The Main Problem in the Movie is its Ambition to Group Dysfunction, Addiction, and Mental Illness into a Pot and Stir. The Cinematic Stew, Unfortunately is Tasteless and no where Near Fulfilling or Satisfying.

Great cast! Story was uneven and quite frankly boring at times. I'll watch Ed Harris in anything.

This film tells the story of a young writer who wrote a book about his troubled relationship with his father, and the abuse he had to endure over the years. The sudden appearance of his father in the book launch party raises doubts on his claims in the book.

The story is good because it draws viewers in to both sides of the coin. Initially I am so convinced that Stephen is the victim, yet as the story unfolds we get to know how things may not be as it seems. The revelation that memories can be distorted, but we never question our own memories is quite a strong argument, and many of us can relate to that. It is an introspective and revelatory journey for Stephen, but I can relate to it as well.