Shadows & Lies (2010)
"William Vincent" (original title)

A man returns to New York after years in exile to save the girl he loves.

Director:

Jay Anania

Writer:

Jay Anania

Stars:

James Franco, Julianne Nicholson, Martin Donovan

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Franco	...	William Vincent
Julianne Nicholson	...	Ann
Martin Donovan	...	Victor
Josh Lucas	...	Boss
Haskell King	...	Jason
Zoe Lister Jones	...	Rebecca
Ty Anania	...	Older Brother
Louis Anania	...	Younger Brother
Norm Golden	...	Jasper
Gibson Frazier	...	Sitting Man
Emily Tremaine	...	Cindy
Julienne Hanzelka Kim	...	Juliette
Vince Jolivette	...	Russell
John Tintori	...	Walking Man
Mick Casalle	...	Man with Cigarette

Storyline

The story of William Vincent as he recounts the eccentric and curious path that has brought him, at mortal risk, to New York City, after four years in exile, to rescue a woman he scarcely knows, Ann, from the vague crime syndicate that first brought them together.

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Plot Keywords:

minimal dialogue | girl stripped down to panties | black panties | female nudity | student film

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexuality, language, some violence and drug content

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 April 2010 (USA)

Also Known As:

In Praise of Shadows

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

RabbitBandini Productions, Final Cut Collective, Blackacre Entertainment

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

On the opening title card the word iridescent is misspelled with 2 Rs.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Title Card: The iridescent lipstick of the Kyoto geisha when seen in the dim light of a candle... / Jun 'ichiro Tanizaki / 'In Praise of Shadows'

User Reviews

good acting and photography, not a very good story

Okay, first of all, I gotta say that I don't think the rating of this movie is very fair.

The rhythm of the movie is slow, so if you're not the type of person who could sit still for two hours and adore the visualization of a slow film, just let it go.

After the ending, I began thinking how the movie had no purpose at all and that it wasn't sending out a message. And then I thought, maybe it wasn't supposed to. Maybe it was just trying to show a small part of a depressed, not-finding-a-meaning-in-life guy's life. And even so, it still lacked something, it was a little lost, like there wasn't much thought behind the story. It wasn't very well figured out, neither were the characters.

But the good news is, it gets you thinking. The photography is beautiful, and so is the acting. James Franco does a great job in this one, every expression on his face has a meaning behind it, the tone of his voice, how the characters linger before saying something, that is All very good. Not so many great lines though, it's mostly body language.

After all, I think it's worth watching. There are many beautiful scenes that you wouldn't want to miss, regardless of the not-so-good story.