Telling Lies in America (1997)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Guy Ferland

Writer (WGA):

Joe Eszterhas (written by)

Release Date:

15 October 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Dress sharp. Drive fast. Look cool. Laugh last.

Plot:

Karchy (Brad Renfro) is a boy in school who has moved from Hungary to America in the 1960's. He is struggling...

Plot Keywords:

Radio DJ | Cadillac | Girlfriend | Radio Broadcasting | Male Bonding

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Kevin Bacon	...	Billy Magic
Brad Renfro	...	Karchy 'Chucky' Jonas
Maximilian Schell	...	Dr. Istvan Jonas
Calista Flockhart	...	Diney Majeski
Paul Dooley	...	Father Norton
Jonathan Rhys Meyers	...	Kevin Boyle
Luke Wilson	...	Henry
Damen Fletcher	...	Amos 'Blood Smith'
Jerry Swindall	...	Andy 'Croak' Stas
K.K. Dodds	...	Justine
James Kisicki	...	Cecil Simms
J.J. Horna	...	The Blind Kid
Ben Saypol	...	Timmy Morelli
Tony Devon	...	Danny Hogan
Rohn Thomas	...	Sgt. Disapri

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 (video premiere) | Hong Kong:IIA | Spain:T | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Cleveland, Ohio, USA

Company:

Banner Entertainment

Trivia:

This was one of the first seven films to be foreclosed by the Screen Actors Guild for non-payment of wages and residuals to SAG members. On 13 July 2004, rights to the film were sold at auction.

Quotes:

Diney Majeski: Why you got to show off so much?
Karchy Jonas: Cause I ain't got that much to show.

Soundtrack:

Dreamin'

Excellent Script, Excellent Cast

Yes, I live in Northeast Ohio, but that's not the only reason I truly enjoyed this movie. The daughter of an acquaintance, 'Giggly Girl' Angelique Osborne, had a tiny part and I originally watched to see her. Now every time Bravo plays this movie on IFC Fridays, the phone comes off the hook, the popcorn is popped and I get good and comfy. The sentiment portrayed here, although it's roughly 15 years before my time, pulls me right in. The struggles of wanting to feel important (or at least to fit in), where to draw the lines of loyalty and figuring out what makes any of us happy are timeless. It never occurs to me that I'm watching Kevin Bacon or Brad Renfro. They become their characters. (Kevin Bacon proves he has a range most people don't realize and Brad Renfro, although beautiful to look at, also has that un-namable quality that makes you feel you're watching a future legend. Let's pray he finds his way safely.) Just as you never think about the set or the camera during a genuinely good movie, all the components of Telling Lies in America flow beautifully.

After reading some of the other reviews here, it seems some people can't be entertained with a good story and good acting. Some movies don't have to resort to the typical Hollywood recipe in order to leave a positive imprint in your mind. Too bad you have such a short attention span.