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Bookmark this pageTelling Lies in America (1997)
Director: Guy Ferland
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
It's 1960 and Renfro's Hungarian immigrant teen determines to get into the pants of winsome co-worker Flockhart by having his name mentioned on the 'High School Hall of Fame' by Cleveland's top DJ, Billy Magic (Bacon). Whizz kid Billy is so impressed by Renfro's denial that he sent in several hundred nomination cards himself that he makes the lad his assistant. These are the days of payola, but young Master Sheltered Life is unaware of the significance of the envelopes he passes to his boss from sundry shady types. And since he and his dad (Schell) are applying for US citizenship, trouble with the police is the last thing he wants. Bacon revels in the greased back hair, flip on-air patter and ersatz R&B stylings on the soundtrack, but it's absolutely no surprise that his icon of cool turns out to be a dud. Director Ferland can only move the elements of the hackneyed plot (by Joe Eszterhas) into place and hope we like Bacon enough not to notice.Author: TJ
User reviews of this film
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- Suzie Smith said...
- Posted on Jan 12 2012 04:35 Liked the movie, but soundtrack was a real hit!!
- Report as inappropriate
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- John Cooper said...
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Posted on Sep 26 2011 09:02
This is a film dealing with important cultural and ethical
issues, and despite a somewhat lacklustre screenplay,
it still makes an impact. Kevin Bacon and Calista Flockhart are eminently watchable, though the lead
actor ,( whose name escapes me,) lacks panache and
despite a very earnest performance, can't convey the
emotional complexity of this character . . .They really need someone like John Cusack . . . . What really works
well in this movie is the soundtrack, which makes up
for the turgid plot development . . . . . Nevertheless the
film successfully deals with the nature of idealism and
pragmaticism in American Culture . . . .George Washington was a really quite a shady character . . he
had to be to get anywhere . .. . . - Report as inappropriate
Cast & crew
Director: Guy Ferland
Producer: Ben Myron, Fran Rubel Kuzui
Cast: Kevin Bacon, Brad Renfro, Maximilian Schell, Calista Flockhart, Paul Dooley, Jonathan Rhys Meyers full cast
Duration: 101 mins
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