Telling Lies in America (1997)

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

The movie is surprisingly subdued in its pacing, its characterizations, and its go-for-broke sensibilities.

The acting in this movie is really good.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

"Telling Lies in America" is an extremely appealing, and convincing, tale from veteran screenwriter Joe Eszterhas that one has to assume is at least somewhat autobiographical. It tells the tale of Karchy Jonas (Brad Renfro), a Hungarian teenager who's moved with his doctor father Istvan (Maximilian Schell) to Cleveland. Taking place in 1961, before Beatlemania had become a cultural phenomenon in North America, it shows us the seedier aspects of the music and radio businesses as Karchy is taken under the wing of an ultra slick, charismatic DJ named Billy Magic, played to the hilt by a wonderful Kevin Bacon.This is a very fine coming of age story in which a naive youth learns some hard realities about the world. Sometimes, people may seem to be your friend, but they'll really be just using you. This is also an interesting look at the immigrant experience in the U.S. of A. at a particular point in time. And, as guided by director Guy Ferland ("The Babysitter" '95), it does reasonably recreate the sights and sounds of Cleveland, when rock and soul music were really taking off. The soundtrack is an eclectic mix of golden oldies, and is supplemented by a plaintive if rather manipulative score by Nicholas Pike.Bacon and Renfro are both excellent in the pivotal roles. Schell, Calista Flockhart as Karchy's co-worker (with whom he tries to build a romantic relationship), Paul Dooley as a priest at Karchy's school, Damen Fletcher as aspiring music star Amos, Jerry Swindall as Karchy's friend Croak, and Jonathan Rhys Meyers as a bullying classmate, all offer very effective support. Luke Wilson doesn't have a particularly interesting role, as he plays Karchy's humorless employer."Telling Lies in America" may earn its emotions a little more honestly if it didn't lean so heavily on that music score, but overall it's still potent and engaging.Eight out of 10.

It seems some people consider this a neglected "gem," a little movie that got lost among the blockbusters. Could it be it just seems good because it was written by Hollywood hack Joe Eszterhaus and is therefore superior to the trash that usually bears his name?That's what I think, anyway. Being from Cleveland, I looked forward to seeing this especially since I even observed it being filmed on Superior Avenue on the steps of the courthouse there (and I did see it--on video, because it never got an official release, not in these parts, anyway). Watching Kevin Bacon and Brad Renfro film one scene over and over and over again completely demolished any thoughts I had about the movie business being exciting and glamourous. It looked boring and monotonous to me. I also find this movie rather boring. Kevin Bacon's excellent performance keeps it afloat at times, but his efforts are sunk by Brad Renfro who is never convincing and is even somewhat insulting when he attempts what is supposed to be the younger Eszterhaus's Hungarian accent. He sounds like a half-wit instead of an Hungarian. Maximillian Schell as the father is just dull, and should make the director regret his decision not to hire Charles Bronson for fear that it was "stunt casting" (Eszterhaus relates this in his book "Hollywood Animal"). Schell may have an Oscar, but Bronson was just as good an actor, and unlike Schell, had presence and a box-office name that might have gotten this movie a distributor.It was nice to see the old CTS buses that I remember from my childhood, and I grinned when I heard the reference to my alma mater, Cleveland State University. But except for Bacon, this movie is lifeless. There is one other point in its favor: it seems to be sincere, something I could never say about anything else Eszterhaus has written.

"Lies..." tells of a Hungraian immigrant 1960 high school boy who falls in with a corrupt D.J. (Bacon) on payola and jeopardizes the possibility of U.S. citizenship for himself and his father. The film showcases good performances by Bacon and Renfro, delivers the usual "slice of life" stuff, doesn't breach realism so as to make the emotional "buy in" impossible, and even conjures up some lessons about the importance of telling the truth...and lying. After all, we're all liars, aren't we.

This was a nice little movie with a great performance by Kevin Bacon. The boy from the client was OK but not much depth. No nasty words and only minor sexual comments. Coming of age drama with great music and reasonable good performances. Worth watching.