DVD Movies: L.I.E. DVD Movie

Average Rating:

But this movie is not simplistic. Listening to the commentaries by both the director, Michael Cuesta, and Brian Cox (Big John), I noticed that neither ever utters the word "pedophile" in relation to Big John (In fact, the film itself shows he not only desires young teenagers, but young, adult men of 18-21 range, and women as well). Nor do they peg Howie as a "gay youth"--in fact, they both deny that Howie's sexual identity is set. That's because L.I.E. is not about categories, it is about the complexities of the human heart that lie beneath the surface.

For myself, L.I.E. is about two things: (1) discovering the difference between love and lust, and (2) the fundamental condition of human loneliness and our search for honest intimacy. After the recent death of his mother, Howie has just discovered deep loneliness and is trying to resolve it as fast as he can; running away to California for adventure with a rebellious, sexy friend seems like the magic pill/instant cure for all his problems. As for Big John, years before the time of this film he decided to quench his loneliness in shallow sex with males of various ages, and in creating broad yet shallow relationships with the prominent members of his community. Yet he's never allowed anyone to get inside and really touch his heart, apparently not even his current adult lover/roommate.

Suddenly, Howie is confronted with this man, who unlike Howie's father or friends, has answers to his questions about his worth and place in the world (and also knowledge of sex, which is a big part of life for a teenager). Simultaneously, the once-"Big" John is rendered small and weak in the face of the quiet grandeur and adolescent vulnerability of Howie's gentle, honest nature. For a moment, their lives intersect and neither of them knows quite what to do...both are in foreign territory, and both walk away with something they never had before. Howie walks away with the knowledge of his own value as a human being (hence, he's able to assert himself in confrontation with his father later in the film, and proclaim himself to the world), and John walks away knowing that he's made a permanent and vital difference in the life of another person, and that he's finally loved someone else, truly and completely.

This film should not be missed, misunderstood or pigeonholed and forgotten. It is a boundary-breaker that speaks of the need for love and intimacy that lies most deeply in the human soul, regardless of superficial appearances.

Bolder because it deals with the taboo of physical intimacy between men and adolescent boys. Where most movies depict pederasts as monstrous villains and one-dimensional predators, Brian Cox's John Harrigan is a nuanced character we both like and despise. In fact, given how 15-year-old Howie Blitzer's blood father Martin ignores him, focusing instead on his job, his legal troubles, and his rebound girlfriend (and blackens his son's eye in one impulsively violent scene), we're not even certain if John wouldn't be a better male presence in Howie's life than Martin!

The movie shows a band of male teenagers (Howie's hangout buddies) who seem true to life, and therefore prone to popping boners unexpectedly, bawdy and inane conversation, roughhousing, and nonchalant homoeroticism. This particular teen wolfpack is more transgressive than most, adding prostitution, burglary, and incest to the mix. Yes, L.I.E. won't be for everyone. It doesn't flinch at marginal sexuality, and mentions unmentionable subjects.

One last comment: Paul Franklin Dano's performance as Howie is phenomenal, some of the best teen acting I've seen. I hope this gifted actor has a huge career, not necessarily in blockbusters but in small, subtle, and intelligent films like L.I.E. The scene in which Dano's Howie recites a piece of Whitman's "Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking," turning the tables on his would-be seducer, is stunning. It's with a shudder that we realize it's a poem about lost innocence. Congrats in fact to everyone involved in this picture.

It's about a 16 year old boy, played by Paul Franklin Dano. His mother has recently died in a car accident, his father has taken up with a bimbo, and his best friend, played by Billy Kay, is clearly someone looking for trouble. Then there is an ex-marine played by Brian Cox. He's a kindly pedophile - a nice guy who just can't help himself. Put this all together, keep the action going, and this is an engaging film. The story was good, the acting fine, the tension tight.

But yet, while it did hold my interest, it felt like a soap opera. I was interested in the plot, but the situation just didn't give me the emotional tug that it should have. I think it created some understanding for the pedophile. And I think it's a good film for the two young boys' acting careers. But generally, I found it lightweight.