L.I.E.

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href=javascript:popUp('http://buybox.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=reelmoviecriticc&link_code=xsc&creative=23424&camp=2025&path=/dt/assoc/tg/aa/xml/assoc/-/B000063K0V/reelmoviecriticc/ref=ac_bb1_,_amazon')><img src=http://rcm-images.amazon.com/images/G/01/associates/remote-buy-box/buy1.gif border=0 alt='Buy from Amazon.com' ></a>"); document.close(); </script> <noscript> <form method="POST" action="http://buybox.amazon.com/o/dt/assoc/handle-buy-box=B000063K0V"> <input type="hidden" name="asin.B000063K0V" value="1"> <input type="hidden" name="tag-value" value="reelmoviecriticc"> <input type="hidden" name="tag_value" value="reelmoviecriticc"> <input type="image" name="submit.add-to-cart" value="Buy from Amazon.com" border="0" alt="Buy from Amazon.com" src="http://rcm-images.amazon.com/images/G/01/associates/add-to-cart.gif"> </form> </noscript>  </div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> L.I.E. (NC-17) No Stars</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="636"><div> Reviewed by Brenda Sexton</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="636"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="19" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="636" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="636"><div> Where does this highway go?</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="641" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="317"><div> Big John Harrigan:  Brian Cox</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> Howie Blitzer:  Paul Franklin Dano</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="317"><div> Gary Terrio:  Billy Kay</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="317"><div> Marty Blitzer:  Bruce Altman</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="317"><div> Kevin Cole:  James Costa     </div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="317"><div> Brian:  Tony Donnelly</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="317"><div> Scott:  Walter Masterson</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> Guidance Counselor:  Marcia DeBonis</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 ><NOBR><div> Marty's Lawyer:  Adam LeFevre     </div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="317"><div> Director:  Michael Cuesta</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div>              </div> <div>             </div> <div> <B>30 Second Bottom Line:</B>  Howie, a 15 year old boy, has lost his mother to a fatal car crash on the LIE (Long Island Expressway).  His father, preoccupied with his own life, has lost emotional contact with him.  Howie, essentially parent less, is out testing his sexual and social boundaries, and encounters a pedophile who becomes his protective, surrogate father-and possible lover.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Story Line:  </B>Howie Blitzer (Paul Franklin Dano) and his three buddies break into suburban Long Island homes and steal stuff for kicks.  In one scene one of his buddies even dons a woman's black and white fur bubble-type jacket as they stroll along in the woods after their escapade.  </div> <bR> <div> Howie lives in a well-to-do environment.  His father owns a construction company and appears fairly wealthy and extravagant.  A sexpot girlfriend seems to live with them, but has probably never said a word to Howie.</div> <bR> <div> Howie's closest friend is Gary (Billy Kay), a kid from the other side of the tracks, who sports multiple piercings and tattoos.  Gary acts older and wiser, and bullies Howie into robbing a house one night while the owner, Big John (Brian Cox), is upstairs celebrating his birthday.  The boys are in the basement, crashing into stuff and are chased out by Big John, but not without stealing two prized guns of his.  Big John tracks them down and we discover he is a pedophile who has been having sex for money with Gary.  Gary tells him Howie's got the guns (which he doesn't) and Big John hunts down Howie.  Under threat of going to the police and reporting their multiple burglaries, Big John gets Howie to go after getting the guns back.  Howie only finds one hidden in Gary's room but offers to work for Big John to pay back the value of the second gun.  Big John shows him a porno flick and tells him he can work the debt off sexually.  Howie doesn't bolt and ultimately a close, loving relationship develops between Howie and Big John.  In the meantime Gary has run away, Howie's father has gotten arrested and put in jail, and Big John is there to love and care for him.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Tell Me More About It: The</B> press pack for this film argues vehemently about the NC-17 rating it has received.  There is minimal nudity on camera and minimal violence.  What there is is a compassionate, loving pedophile who is somewhat of a pillar in the community, an ex-marine, buddies with all the cops, emotionally sensitive, loving and caring to Howie.  The blatant sexual edge is never crossed, Howie and Big John don't have sex together though Howie has moved in (displacing Big John's existing young live-in boyfriend) and expresses the love he feels towards Big John. </div> <bR> <div> The X rating for this film is from portraying Big John so compassionately.  He's a great guy, good-hearted, wise and fatherly--protective of Howie.  This characterization diminishes the perversion and horror of Big John's actions.  Is there ever an acceptable case for pedophlia?  It seems this film makes a positive statement for such behavior. Howie will be safe and loved and cared for in Big John's hands is the offensive message.</div> <bR> <div> The powerful statement the film does make is how vulnerable kids are to being loved.  Howie has experienced abandonment by both his parents.  When his best buddy Gary leaves for California without him, his sense of aloneness, sends him into Big John's loving arms and home.</div> <bR> <div> The film is dead-on in its portrayal of the vulnerability a kid in Howie's position faces towards a pervert like Big John.  Predators look for children who lack strong parental love and protection.  The issue I take with the film is that Big John is portrayed so positively and acts respectful and sensitive to Howie's needs.  It's the most insidious type of child molester and I found that aspect of the film unbelievable, and it implied that this pedophile behavior is almost acceptable.  Big John does pay a price in the end, but not due to his perversions. Continuing the offense, his displaced lover attacks him in a jealous rage (like this guy is so great!).</div> <bR> <div> The press kit suggests parents see this film with their teenage children.  As the mother of a teenager, I don't feel compelled to introduce my daughter to a positively portrayed pedophile.  Granted, this film can generate a conversation about protecting yourself from adult sexual predators, but in this movie there are too many rewards for Howie from this relationship.  He gets a home, love, money and tenderness.  I believe this portrayal would be more confusing to a child than convincing of the harms and brutal emotional consequences of young teens being victimized by predatory adults.</div> <bR> <div> It's unfortunate that the portrayal of Big John's character sets a totally unacceptable tone to the film, for it does offer us superb acting and directing. </div> <div>  </div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="592" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="588"><div> Brenda Sexton © 200</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="588"><div> <A HREF="brendasext@aol.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="brendasext@aol.com"><U><U>Brenda@reelmoviecritic.com</U></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>