The Unbelievable Truth (1989)

A man returns to his home town after serving a prison sentence for homicide, and finds that the details of the crime have been forgotten and replaced with local legends and rumors.

Director:

Hal Hartley

Stars:

Adrienne Shelly, Robert John Burke, Chris Cooke

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Adrienne Shelly	...	Audry
Robert John Burke	...	Josh (as Robert Burke)
Chris Cooke	...	Vic Hugo (as Christopher Cooke)
Julia McNeal	...	Pearl
Katherine Mayfield	...	Liz Hugo
Gary Sauer	...	Emmet
Mark Chandler Bailey	...	Mike (as Mark Bailey)
David Healy	...	Todd Whitbread
Matt Malloy	...	Otis: Driver - Bum
Edie Falco	...	Jane - The Waitress
Jeff Howard	...	Irate Driver
Kelly Reichardt	...	His Wife
Ross Turner	...	Their Son
Paul Schulze	...	Bill (as Paul Schultze)
Mike Brady	...	Bob

Storyline

After serving time for murder, Josh Hutton returns to his home town where me meets Audry Hugo. No one can remember exactly what Josh did, but they are all wary of him, especially Audry's father.

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Plot Keywords:

mechanic | black comedy | ex convict | nuclear disarmament | accidental death | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

The paperback that Audry is reading in the bookstore scene is THE JESUS FACTOR, a 1970 work of fiction about the threat of (or actual lack of the threat) of nuclear war.

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Goofs

When Audry and Emmet are walking in the street rite after Audry tells Emmet she does not want to go out with him anymore if you look behind Audry you can see a car approach the corner and a crew member directing the car to turn left so it does not interfere with the shot, the crew member even walks up to the car.

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Quotes

Jane - The Waitress: I know what you need.
Josh Hutton: Excuse me?
Jane - The Waitress: You need a woman.
Josh Hutton: Oh?
Jane - The Waitress: That girl is crazy.
Josh Hutton: I know but I like her.
Jane - The Waitress: Yeah, but she's leaving town.
Josh Hutton: So I've heard.
Jane - The Waitress: So come on, what do you say? I know what you need.
Josh Hutton: Excuse me.
[...]

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Crazy Credits

Director's Friend......Steven O'Connor

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Connections

Referenced in At the Movies: V.I. Warshawski/Trust/Life Stinks/Mobsters/Slacker (1991)

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Soundtracks

Cruel Something There
by Paul Cullum and Philip Reed (as Wild Blue Yonder) (uncredited)

User Reviews

A warm little tale ...

Mind you, it's a wafer thin storyline. A heart-warming little story of an ex-convict returning to a city, and the infatuation of the local Lolita has for him, it touches you, ever so softly, from behind the facade of the boisterous small town existence and the foibles of the small group of townspeople who form the nucleus of the story. At the end of it, you're glad you sat down to watch it - it's a laid-back mind-soother, which leaves you with a warm feeling all over.

What elevates the film by several rungs is, however, the superb performance of Robert Burke as the mercurial, unpredictable and enigmatic Joshua Hutton, who leaves you ambivalent about his real intentions till the very end, when all is revealed. Supporting him, ably, is the petite Adrienne Shelly, who may not be strictly pretty, but has an elfin charm - not really a little girl any more, but not yet a woman. They complement each other perfectly, and it is this chemistry that makes the film glow, and forms the perfect foil to the humdrum backdrop of everything else that is going on.

It's rewarding, and relaxing, viewing - a perfect de-stresser, if there ever was one. If you can get hold of a copy, hold on, tight.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 November 1990 (Australia)

Also Known As:

The Unbelievable Truth

Filming Locations:

Lindenhurst, Long Island, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$75,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Action Features

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1