LIE (2001)

Director

• Michael Cuesta

Starring

• Brian Cox
• Paul Franklin Dano [Paul Dano]
• Billy Kay
• Bruce Altman
• James Costa

Last On

01:05-03:05 Wed 3rd Dec 2008 120m
Film4

Synopsis

Paedophilia is given a chillingly benevolent face in this emotive debut from director Michael Cuesta. It's a challenging and powerful rite-of-passage feature with a cerebral tale of teen angst that's as thought-provoking as it is disturbing. Reminiscent of Larry Clark's work, the film lays bare the cycles of use and abuse that tarnish the lives of a group of delinquent boys from Long Island, New York. Standing out among them is Howie, a 15-year-old struggling to cope with his mother's death, whose fresh-faced innocence attracts the local paedophile, Big John (Brian Cox). This makes for gloomy and unsettling viewing, as gritty and haunting as anything the adolescent drama kids depicted. Though the film controversially questions the nature of all adult/child relationships (parental neglect causes these teens to become willing prey), it's not explicit and doesn't resort to shock tactics. Instead, Cuesta combines intelligence with restraint, leaving the astonishingly moving performances of his brilliant young cast to speak for themselves.