Lying

I will try to be gentle here . . .

Have worse movies ever been created in all of known human history? Possibly, but as a sort of comparative reference, the all time "worst movie ever" classic - Plan 9 from Outer Space - could be rated as a seriously produced example of fine filmcraft.

This film Lying is so odd, completely lifeless, thrown together attempt at something possibly resembling a plot, that it deserves its own rating category.

Not only is the film itself beyond ridiculously awful, but on the DVD there is the added "interview" with the director, conducted with such serious, way over the top pretentious self absorbed pseudo importance supposedly associated with this production.

This is the extreme outer edge of unintended comedy . . . a Monty Pythonesque parody - only this was actually intended as a serious interview.

The rating category of 1 (awful) isn't low enough to actually represent the rating of this pathetic non-entity attempt of filmcraft.

I would suggest less than zero, perhaps somewhere between -3 to -5.

The one positive thing I could say for this film? It could be a good cure for insomnia . . .

This movie is BOORRRR-ingggg. A veritable snoozefest about four young women who get together for weekend in the one girl's parent's farm house. It sounds like a typical horror movie beginnings, but it isn't. Just a series of unrelated subplots with very little dialog. About the only thing the women do together is drink wine and search the house for the source of a noise (which is never really revealed.) They could have at least spiced it up a little with some nudity or lesbian sex scenes, but it didn't even offer that.

It isn't the worst movie I've ever seen, but it is certainly the most dull.

LYING is a fey and contemplative film which attempts to examine the various levels and applications of deception. Megan, played by Chloe Sevigny, is a young woman who is obsessed with control. She honestly feels that if she is allowed to dominate and dictate events, everyone will benefit from her machinations. Her behavior is certainly neurotic, but her intent is not malevolent. The story is set on a beautiful country estate in upstate New York, and on an Indian Summer weekend, Megan invites three friends to relax and work on a short film project. The entire weekend is predicated on several falsehoods which the girls must accept in order for the prevarication to become real. Megan's actual mission is to see if she can induce her guests to enter a hypothetical world of her construction. The film is paced very slowly, almost hypnotically, and information is divulged sparingly which tends to heighten the effect of never knowing exactly what to believe. This film is not for everyone, but gradually and by degrees, LYING does enable the viewer to contemplate the art of manipulation. If you liked the classic Australian art film, PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK, you will probably appreciate what M. Blash, the writer/director, has attempted in LYING.

OK. I'm watching this film right now and it is nearly over. I couldn't stand it any more and HAD to look and see what others thought of the film, because I just wasn't getting it.

But it turns out there is NOTHING to get! I would love to talk to someone who loved this film. What did you love? Specifically, what about this film made you rate it high? My suspicion is that a good percentage of lovers of this film could NOT tell you why. I suspect they liked the film because they were "supposed" to like it. You know?

The movie is called Lying. We the audience don't know what the lie is for a long time. I'm still not sure and the film is almost over. One woman is apparently deceiving the other three she's invited to her "country home" for the weekend. Now it's one thing for the audience to be in the position of the three girls; not knowing. But even when the girls figure out the lie it's STILL not clear what it is.

And if it's what I think it is.... well, so what?

The movie is beautifully shot. The house it takes place in is marvelous. I want to build a house just like it. The acting is good. And, it's got cool, hip and beautiful Chloe Sevign. But don't pretend to like this movie just because you don't get it, but think you should. Let all the bad reviews give you permission to be honest. And honestly, this movie is a waste of time.

I just saw this film at Cannes film festival. The fact that Chloe Sevigny was in it propelled me to go, as she usually appears in above average films. However this film is so bad I can't begin to describe why. It even got booed in the screening room. Saying this, I still think this film is worth seeing, if only to provide you with a film to place at the bottom of your movie lists, or to just give you an insight into the elements of bad film.

I have to say that the cinematography is good, as are the performances, there is just no substance. Another successful part is how the film somehow made me believe something good was going to happen around every corner, even up until the credits, (but I can assure you nothing did).

Overall I simply think that this film is trying to be too arty and too out there, and it just crosses the line.