Brilliant Lies (1996)

Director:

Richard Franklin

Writers:

Peter Fitzpatrick (written by)
Richard Franklin (written by)

Release Date:

11 July 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The battle of the sexes is now all out war. To survive, you must tell Brilliant Lies

Plot:

Susy Conner accuses former employer, Gary Fitzgerald, of harassment and unfair dismissal for failing to comply with his sexual demands...

Plot Keywords:

Male Chauvinism | Personality Conflict | Father Daughter Relationship | Money | Incest

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Gia Carides	...	Susy Connor
Anthony LaPaglia	...	Gary Fitzgerald
Zoe Carides	...	Katy Connor
Ray Barrett	...	Brian Connor
Michael Veitch	...	Paul Connor
Catherine Wilkin	...	Marion Lee
Neil Melville	...	Vince
Jennifer Jarman-Walker	...	Ruth Miller
Grant Tilly	...	Steve Lovett
Beverley Dunn	...	President
Brad Lindsay	...	Registrar
Barry Friedlander	...	Mr. Burton
Iain Murton	...	Mr. Hall
Tim Elston	...	Young Brian
Natalie Gauci	...	Young Katy (as Natalie Gauchi)

MPAA:

Rated R for sexual content and language.

Runtime:

94 min | USA:88 min

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Cinevex)

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Australia:MA | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Cape Schanck, Victoria, Australia

Company:

Bayside Pictures

Quotes:

Vince: I am very upset at being dragged in here, Gary. We are men of substantial standing and I ...
Katy Conner: Substantial standing? Well, what are you trying to say? That two important men like you find it beneath your dignity to be called to account for a minor little thing like seven months of viscious sexual persecution?

Soundtrack:

BRILLIANT LIES

Nothing about this is brilliant.

David Williamson has written some very good plays, but even the best of them can't be removed from the stage without wilting. This is not one of the best of them.

To be honest, it feels as though it's been cranked out. "Let me write a play (or script) about ..." Williamson thinks for a moment, fixes on "workplace sexual harassment", starts banging away that very instant at the typewriter, sticks to the scenic formula that's worked so well in the past, throws in a revelation of some kind every few pages, and it's done. The result is not at all brilliant. (Nor are the lies brilliant. Don't expect Baron Münchhausen, is all I'm saying.) Even so, it probably works well enough on stage.

But it's not on stage and it flat as a lilypad. Michael Veitch plays the part of the family Christian who no-one takes seriously in a manner that might also work on stage, but which is embarrassingly cartoony here. (It's possible to count and catalogue his mannerisms.) Principle leads are competent but don't shine. Direction is leaden. Now and then the action moves out of doors or down the corridor - as if that could possibly help matters.

If I were to say that it's boring I might mislead you. Williamson's craft ensures that it's not at all likely to induce sleep, and it's possibly worth watching as a way of passing an hour and a half; but any other film at all, provided it's one that's not positively bad, would serve just as well.