L.I.E.
Critically acclaimed as one of the top ten films of the year, L.I.E. is an intense coming-of-age story full of surprises and suspense. After his mother's recent death, 15-year-old Howie is headed down a dangerous path. Neglected by his father, a shady contractor with little time for his son, Howie begins ditching school and robbing the local house with his delinquent friends.
One day Howie and his best friend Gary, a con man searching for a way to finance his escape to California, break into the house of an old ex-Marine named Big John (Brian Cox of Manhunter). After Big John approaches Howie about the robbery, Howie discovers the alluring secret that binds his friend and Big John.
When Gary suddenly skips town, and Howie's father is busted by the FBI and taken to jail, Howie is suddenly alone. Can Big John be the paternal figure that Howie needs, or will his predatory instincts prevail?
Member Reviews
A confronting coming of age story... - Frazham
L.I.E. is a brilliantly written and wonderfully acted coming of age story which is also quite confronting.
whilst this story is based on the life of one boy (16 yo Howie) and how he struggles to find himself and break from the mathophorical grasp of the L.I.E. and how it may lead him to his death and/or hell. It is also a disturbing look into the world of troubled teens, the bad decisions they can be lured into making and the potential predators who prey on children when at this vulnerable age.
As already stated, and brillinatly written story that is acted brillinatly to portray in all its disturbing reality the troubled mind of Howie as he struggles with issues of loss, love, sexuality, crime, paternal relationships and the lure/trap of paedophelia.
If you can handle facing confronting issues in your movies, this is a brilliant movie to watch.L.I.E. - AppsScraps
L.I.E. was the movie that put actor Paul Dano on the stardom road. After L.I.E. came Fast Food Nation, Little Miss Sunshine, and There Will Be Blood ... which is a pretty impressive list. And back in 2002 you can see his stardom. L.I.E. (short for Long Island Expressway) is a very difficult film to watch. Difficult because it touches on subjects that are inherently taboo - bullying, homosexuality and child abuse. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, there is a touching human story amid the horror. Howie (Dano) is a 15-year-old who's recently lost his mother (in an auto accident) and is all but ignored by a father too caught up in his own work woes. Howie begins to travel with a wrong set of kids who spend their days breaking and entering homes along the L.I.E.. Clearly different then his friends, Howie is trying to come to terms with the death of his mother, his privileged yet emotionally vacant homelife, and his own sexuality. Secretly infatuated with the leader of their small gang, Gary (played by Billy Kay), Howie ends up meeting Big John (played ever so brilliantly and ever so creepily by Brian Cox). Big John is a vietnam vet, a pillar of the community and a gay pedophile. The result of their meeting is both surprising and sad. First time Director Michael Cuesta gives us the characters stripped down without caricatures of victim and abuser and leaves the difficult themes in the movie - of isolation, desperation and resignation -- for us to ponder. Well done.
My rating 8 out of 10.Disturbing - But Very True! - Jeep
The movie has a slow begining and might seem like it's made for younger kids. However the suspense and fear is very real. This movie projects how incest and the world come together, and how someone who is viewed to be "a very bad person" can be changed. It also shows how young kids, without any guidence thru their growing stages, can turn down a bad path where there is no turning back. The ending to the movie is very well done.
Although halfway thru the movie there are disturbing scenes, I suggest that you watch the WHOLE movie without fast-forwarding thru any parts. This will give you the complete understanding the author is trying to project, and will make the ending seem that much better.
Member Reviews
Read All...
A confronting coming of age story... - Frazham
L.I.E. is a brilliantly written and wonderfully acted coming of age story which is also quite confronting.
whilst this story is based on the life of one boy (16 yo Howie) and how he struggles to find himself and break from the mathophorical grasp of ...L.I.E. - AppsScraps
L.I.E. was the movie that put actor Paul Dano on the stardom road. After L.I.E. came Fast Food Nation, Little Miss Sunshine, and There Will Be Blood ... which is a pretty impressive list. And back in 2002 you can see his stardom. L.I.E. (short for Long Island ...Disturbing - But Very True! - Jeep
The movie has a slow begining and might seem like it's made for younger kids. However the suspense and fear is very real. This movie projects how incest and the world come together, and how someone who is viewed to be "a very bad person" can be changed. ...