The Truth About Angels

"The Truth About Angels" is a little film from filmmakers who really understand the power of the medium. Writer-director Lichelli Lazar-Lea really has something to say, and says it with little tools at her disposal but with a skill and intelligence that is sadly missing for most of the studio crap that is put out there these days. Reminiscent of Kubrick's "Eyes Wide Shut," Robert Altman's "A Wedding," and even Larry Clark's "Kids," it is an exciting debut for a young filmmaker who has the potential to be one of the great filmmakers to emerge in recent years.

Set in a private party inhabited by LA's elite kids, the film is a commentary on the cynicism of youth culture that exists all over the world. At times fun and heart felt, dark and horrifying, the film starts as a fish-out-of-water drama and then spirals into a suspenseful and surreal nightmare as the everyman protagonist, Pablo, discovers the dark side of the glittering Hollywood world he once aspired to be a part of.

To help her in her mission, Lichelli has the help of a relatively unknown but talented cast. Italian-born actor, Antonio "Nino" Del Prete, carries the movie as Pablo, an everyman who finds himself on a fast track to hell. Del Prete has a naturalism and intensity that is seldom seen in actors with twice his body of work. Comic actor, Simon Rex, shows just how undervalued he is in his role as Kane Connor, Pablo's movie star friend and "in" to the party. Rex shows that his range is way beyond any of the comic roles he has been allowed to play to date. Model-turned-actress Dree Hemingway is effervescent as Kristi, a naive party girl who soon finds she is disposable in this cruel cynical world. Candice Accola, a sensation on the TV show "The Vampire Diaries," shows why her star is rising, and the always good Monique Gabriela Curnen grounds the film as Pablo's wife Anna.

This is a film that leaves you winded and, if you are a parent, questioning whether you are doing a good enough job raising your own children. And what better motivation could there be than to watch a film that takes you on a ride and makes you strive to be a better member of society.

There is no doubting the potential of this team who have pulled off a film with a highly relevant contemporary storyline and plenty of very well executed visual angles; the movie features plenty of action to bring the whole to a genuine climax.

Analysis of the premise of the storyline suggests actual experience of the writers and producers in the arena of LA , the temptations and struggles of would-be media creative artists, and prejudices and trials related to mixed marriages and the pressures of hedonism and drug-based lifestyles.

The acting seems quite subtle and not at all overblown (as so often one finds featured in less well psychologically studied films) and the cast are clearly at one with their characters. I thoroughly commend the performance of Del Prete who is astonishingly realistic for such a young actor. The female cast show great strength in character-building and handle close-ups (always a problem for young actors) with great professionalism.

"The Truth About Angels" is an intriguingly intelligent film that deals with the price a man is willing to pay for the adventurous trappings of the self indulgent world of Hollywood and the memories it leaves behind. With her directorial debut first time feature film writer-director Lichelli Lazar-Lea does a great job of blending the often conflicting worlds of fantasy, reality, infidelity and responsibility together in this unique thought provoking thriller. Lichelli delivers an emotionally honest film that offers the movie goers a point-of-view seldom seen by those outside of the Hollywood entertainment industry. The acting performances of Simon Rex, Antonio Del Prete and the beautiful Dree Hemingway are great. This is a film definitely worth seeing!

"The Truth About Angels" is a very powerful film for its themes and for the way that it is shot. It is a disturbing glimpse into the lives of elite youths in Los Angeles, and sheds considerable psychological insights into their characters. The writing and acting is effective in representing the complex contrast between human values ​​and the pursuit of success. The story narrative is told from the perspective of an outsider who is totally alien to this world he is at first so happy to be a part of. The narrative gradually builds, acquiring more suspense until it culminates in a shocking and dramatic ending. The film boasts excellent acting, editing and photography. It is a must see for young people as it will make them realize the value of the family in modern society.