Cry_Wolf (2005)

Eight unsuspecting high school seniors at a posh boarding school, who delight themselves on playing games of lies, come face-to-face with terror and learn that nobody believes a liar - even when they're telling the truth.

Director:

Jeff Wadlow

Writers:

Beau Bauman, Jeff Wadlow

Stars:

Julian Morris, Lindy Booth, Jared Padalecki

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Julian Morris	...	Owen Matthews
Lindy Booth	...	Dodger
Jared Padalecki	...	Tom
Jon Bon Jovi	...	Rich Walker
Sandra McCoy	...	Mercedes
Kristy Wu	...	Regina
Jesse Janzen	...	Randall
Paul James	...	Lewis
Anna Deavere Smith	...	Headmaster Tinsley
Ethan Cohn	...	Graham
Gary Cole	...	Mr. Matthews
Erica Yates	...	Becky
Jane Beard	...	Miss McNally
Sabrina Gilbert	...	Game Player
Ashleigh Pixley	...	Game Player

Storyline

Nobody believes a liar - even when they're telling the truth. When a young woman is found murdered, a group of local high school students decide to further scare their classmates by spreading online rumors that a serial killer called "The Wolf" is on the loose. By describing "The Wolf's" next victims, the students' game is to see how many people they can convince - and if anyone will uncover the lie. But when the described victims actually do start turning up dead, suddenly no one knows where the lies end and the truth begins. As someone or something begins hunting the students themselves, the game turns terrifyingly real.

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Plot Keywords:

game | serial killer | e mail | teen | rumor | 

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Taglines:

BeLIEve

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for violence, terror, disturbing images, language, sexuality and a brief drug reference

Details

Official Sites:

Enigma Media Official Fan Team

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 September 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

Living the Lie

Filming Locations:

Collegiate School - 103 N. Mooreland Rd, Richmond, Virginia, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$61,155 (Mexico) (19 May 2006)

Gross:

$61,155 (Mexico) (19 May 2006)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rogue Pictures, Hypnotic

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jeff Wadlow's feature debut. He got the chance to make Cry_Wolf after winning $1,000,000 at the 2002 Chrysler Million Dollar Film Festival.

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Goofs

When Owen is standing above Mr. Walker's body, he is wearing a tie, but when it switches back to a close-up of Owen, the tie is gone.

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Quotes

Dodger: Even if any of that were true...
[pauses]
Dodger: Who would believe you?

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Connections

References Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)

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Soundtracks

"Sea Lion"
Written by Sage Francis, Will Oldham and Alias
Performed by Sage Francis, Will Oldham and Alias
Courtesy of Epitaph

User Reviews

Cry Wolf, ooh oooh, time to worry.

Of course, the title of this review will only make sense to those familiar with the pop song of the same name by Norwegian popsters A-ha. The cheesy song, warbled with gusto by the angular faced Morten Harket, is considerably better than the film of the same name. In fact, running the tune on a continuous loop for 94 minutes is far more appealing than ever having to sit through this movie again.

Directed by Jeff Wadlow, who used the money he won at the 2002 Chrysler Million Dollar Film Festival to fund the project, film has a smart premise and big ambitions. Unfortunately the premise, kids at posh prep school play a lying game and invent a serial killer-who surprise to surprise comes real, is not exploited to any level of decent entertainment, horror, thriller or otherwise. It's badly acted by Julian Morris (amusingly over emphasising his English accent like he is auditioning for Twelfth Night), Jared Padalecki (who acted better when ensconced in wax in House of Wax also released this same year) and Jon Bon Jovi (out acted by his hair), while its surprisingly short on frights; or blood for that matter.

Clearly trying to craft a thinking mans slasher, Wadlow instead gets confused and winds up with a standard film of red herrings and annoying by the numbers privileged teenagers. The script is a garbled mess, stretching credibility to unacceptable levels, and even when it gets into a groove of "complex" speak, it comes out as false. The one shining light is Lindy Booth, who positively sauces her way thru the movie, making a standard horror female character far better than it is on the page. But alas, she can't drag the others with her, hamstrung by a rookie director out of his league. The subsequent non film career of all involved speaks volumes. 2/10