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List Price: $19.95 | | Label: Virgil Films and Entertainment
Salesrank: 82684
Released: May 12, 2009 |
| Our Price: $11.23 |
| Used Price: $8.30 |
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MPAA Rating: Unrated
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
When a long weekend brings four women together in the countryside, each of them is forced to navigate the depths of social interaction as virtual strangers. How well do we really know the friends we make in adulthood? And in an age of lies, what can be made of the person who tells untruths so small they serve no obvious purpose?
Lying Reviews:
So close yet so far. 
2009-10-06 - What a great bunch of talented people making such a talentless piece of art. Overbearing amateur style, cluttered with distracting subtle technique, combined with weak pretension; made this a hard film to get through. I really wanted to like it badly, but it didn't deliver anything for me to get excited about.
Beautiful, but yes, very subtle. 
2009-10-05 - I fell in love with the trailer from M. Blash's Lying the first time I saw it, but after reading the reviews on here I expected the worst. It really is a delicate little film, but yes, with some underwritten parts that can feel a tad awkward. That said, it's just a nice little escape to a country farmhouse. I probably wouldn't have given it much of a chance if I didn't really love the actresses in it but it really does have its moments. There's one scene in particular, that really is one of the most memorable scenes I can remember seeing in a film in quite awhile and is almost worth any dullness that one might feel they'd have to endure.
If you're the type who really can get wrapped up in a setting, this movie feels every bit the place you experience in the photos or trailer. For me that was enough to enjoy it.
I wanted to like it, but ...
2009-08-03 - I really wanted to like Lying. I like Chloe Sevigny. I like Jenna Malone. I like artsy movies. I like women. However, I quickly felt perplexed, confused and bored by the movie. And no, I'm not a Hollywood film junkie--about 90% of the films I love are independent and foreign films. Lying was pretentious and pointless. It was filmed with a hand-held camera and contained a minimal soundtrack, which gave it an unsettling air of reality and, along with the contrived and forced behavior of the characters, added to a sense of tension. But the story was at times surreal and precious, which didn't match the film's style and just added to the muddled confusion--was this a symbolic tale? Was I supposed to see the characters' actions and (few) words as allegory for something? If so, what? The dress-up scene felt painfully artificial, something an adolescent boy might imagine for a girls' sleepover. The dialogue was vapid and unrealistic. The way the film's "secret" was revealed was vague and unemotional and left me wondering if I really "got" it, but worse, left me realizing I didn't care whether I got it or not.
boring 
2009-07-10 - The talented cast is what caught my attention. Unfortunately the film didn't do anything for me. It's too darn boring. I don't mind student or art films, but this film had nothing to keep me interested in watching it a second time.
I'm Not Lying, Avoid This Movie
2009-06-15 - Looks really promising, Chloe Sevigny (The Brown Bunny), Leelee Sobieski, Maya Goldsmith (Lipstick Jungle), and two very beautiful women, Jena Malone and Halley Wegryn Gross. I thought, oh some cinema verite, all these gorgeous women together, even if they sat around and talked this would be special; and there was a huge promise, not rated - who could predict what would happen?
Oh this film is such a mess. Anyone that has seen The Brown Bunny - this whole movie is like the lead up to the hotel scene. It's slightly better, in that we don't just see a guy driving a car for an hour; in Lying you get to see each of these women doing something, moving around, doing things. So there is some movement. But there's no pay off, nothing, nada, niente, rien. The Brown Bunny at least had that very intense scene that is actually very memorable.
This is seriously all that happens in this film, Chloe Sevigny rearranges some odd bits and pieces in a house. She disconnects the phones and hides them. What appear to be three girl friends arrive. They are shown their room (oh my goodness, the brunette, Maya Goldsmith, made up to look homely, carts her suitcase all over the house for no reason). They get groceries. They unload the groceries. We get to see Leelee Sobieski spying on the house from a distance. The four girls cook dinner. They eat dinner. They talk about (this is the first real conversation in the film), Chole's parents dying and leaving her a bunch of money. Turns out none of these girls are really Chole's friends. They clean up the dishes. They sleep. They play croquet. Leelee does really pitiful semifore signalling (no idea why). She sneaks over. Talks with Chloe. And the movie ends. Riviting.
I'll have to admit, the opening sequence where Chloe is dressed in a white button down shirt, and shorts is actually surprisingly sensual. There's something white and billowy about the whole scene. But oh my goodness, everything from then on is just plain dental work.
The camera work is absolutely pitiful. Yes it's supposed to have a cinema verite style, handheld camera, choppy movements, choppy editing, etc. But come on, after 5 minutes of sea sickness inducing movements, let's go find a tripod already! Another version of film school assignment, could have done a better job.
There is something hugely sadening about this film, the first time director M Blash and author of this film, believes this is an incredibly well done film. He's actually serious. He claims to have embedded hommages to many different directors. He's intense about starting this film and within 2 months having a completed film. I have no clue how or why he is so obsessed with this piece of yammering nonsense.
I just finished reading, Either You're in or You're in the Way: Two Brothers, Twelve Months, and One Filmmaking Hell-Ride to Keep a Promise to Their Father, a rather wonderful fast fun read about making a film. Why did anyone waste their money on this film and not contribute to the Logan brothers? There are so many worthwhile film projects. I would guess this is M Blash's last film, at least directing.
Seriously, I'm not lying, don't watch this movie. Go to the dentist instead.
