Atom Egoyan seems to have been missing from America's indie film scene since his 1997 The Sweet Hereafter, but he's back with a bang with Where The Truth Lies.
"When you have everything you want... how far is too far?"
Adapted from the Rupert Holmes novel, Where The Truth Lies (Official, IMDb) is a tightly crafted indie mystery/drama that is a must see for any writer/director and should be a film school example of how to tell a story on film.
Egoyan is a master storyteller here, relentless and never compromising - he uses every frame to inch us closer and closer to understanding the film's central question: What really happened to Maureen O. Flaherty? His path to this truth cut through deep, interesting characters.
Mild Plot Spoiler
Meet Lanny Morris (Kevin Bacon) and Vince Collins (Colin Firth), the 1950's superstar comedic duo, who are the star attraction for a yearly polio telethon. Where The Truth Lies opens on this year's final night. The boys look at each other from opposite sides of the stage. Clearly, something is wrong. But showbiz smiles prevail and the show goes on.
Egoyan cuts away here to show us what has them concern: a dead woman in a tub. Three minutes in and the mystery's on!
From here we jump fifteen years to 1972 Los Angeles, where an up-and-coming journalist, Karen O'Connor (Alison Lohman,) is setting out to write a book about Morris and Collins, their grace and fall, and to finally get the story about what really happened to Maureen O'Flaherty (Rachel Blanchard) (the woman in the tub.)
Here's what we know: O'Connor has sex with both Morris and Collins (a hot ménage à trios sequence) in LA and the next night her body is discovered in a New Jersey hotel bathtub. We also know that duo breaks up shortly after that night, never talking about what happened or O'Flaherty again.
Our job: go along with our hero, O'Connor, as she obsessively explores the tale in an attempt to "solve" the case - not only how did she die, but how did she get to New Jersey? Egoyan wisely includes O'Flaherty's mother into this mix, giving us the necessary (and human) explanation as to why O'Connor is so driven to get her answers.
You'll have to watch the film to find out what she discovers.
Egoyan manages to jump from the present to several flashback periods without losing us along the way. He's a brilliantly mad conductor gesturing to story and character with his storytelling baton - a little here, a little here... every note matters and the damn thing's in tune.
Where The Truth Lies is film noir that delves into the darker side of the pristine 1950s - where the folks are well dressed and they use pills instead of needles.
Where The Truth Lies has plenty of drugs and sex (because these characters had plenty of drugs and sex.) This film may not be for everyone, but if you're an indie fan you love story, right? And this film has pee-lenty of story and is a must for indie fans - especially you writer/directors!
There will be plenty to talk about after this one, so save the pizza, wine, or... whatever... for after.
Various Where The Truth Lies things:
- Rupert Holmes composed "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)"
- Mychael Danna's score is a standout
- Maury Chaykin plays a memorable gangster
Production:
- Serendipity Point Films
- Ego Film Arts
- First Choice Films
- Movie Central Network
- The Movie Network
- Téléfilm Canada
US Distribution:
- Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
- ThinkFilm
