Where the Truth Lies (2005)

Director:

Atom Egoyan

Writers:

Atom Egoyan (screenplay)
Rupert Holmes (novel)

Release Date:

7 October 2005 (Canada)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

K. O'Connor, a young journalist known for her celebrity profiles, is consumed with discovering the truth behind a long-buried incident that affected the lives and careers of showbiz team Vince Collins and Lanny Morris.

Plot Keywords:

Hotel Room | Duo | Comedy Team | Female Nudity | Actress Breaking Typecast

Awards:

2 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Kevin Bacon	...	Lanny
Colin Firth	...	Vince
Alison Lohman	...	Karen
David Hayman	...	Reuben
Rachel Blanchard	...	Maureen
Maury Chaykin	...	Sally Sanmarco
Sonja Bennett	...	Bonnie
Kristin Adams	...	Alice
Deborah Grover	...	Mrs. O'Flaherty
Beau Starr	...	Jack Scaglia
Arsinée Khanjian	...	Publishing Executive
Gabrielle Rose	...	Publishing Executive
Don McKellar	...	Publishing Executive
David Hemblen	...	NY Hotel Concierge
John Moraitis	...	Irv Fleischman

Also Known As:

Somebody Loves You (Canada: English title) (working title)
Alaston totuus (Finland) [fi]
Ekei pou vrisketai i alitheia (Greece) [el]
False verità (Italy) [it]
La vérité nue (France) [fr]
Quand la vérité ment (France) (festival title) [fr]
Sanna lögner (Sweden) [sv]
Wahre Lügen (Germany) [de]
Wahre Lügen - Where the Truth lies (Germany) (poster title) [de]

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexuality, nudity, drug use and language. (DVD version)

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

Canada | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Ireland:18 | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | UK:18 | Canada:18A (British Columbia/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | USA:NC-17 (original rating) | USA:Open (rating surrendered) (2005) | Australia:R | Canada:18A (Alberta/Manitoba) (re-rating on appeal) | Canada:R (Alberta/Manitoba) (original rating) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | USA:R (DVD version) | Portugal:M/16 | Hong Kong:III | Germany:16 | Finland:K-15 | Malaysia:(Banned) | Japan:R-18 | Hungary:16 | Sweden:11 | Argentina:16 | South Korea:18 | USA:TV-MA (TV rating) | Singapore:R21 (cut) | Netherlands:12 (TV version) | Netherlands:16

Filming Locations:

Brantford, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Serendipity Point Films

Trivia:

Director Atom Egoyan made cuts to the film, including an orgy scene, in a failed attempt to challenge the NC-17 rating given by the MPAA. ThinkFilm has since announced that the version shown in US theaters is the same as the one shown at the Cannes Film Festival.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The dates given in the movie are inconsistent. The telethon takes place Veterans Day weekend, November, 1957. It is stated that telethon finished on noon that Sunday, which, according to the calendar, would be November 10th. However the date on the room service bill signed the previous afternoon for Maureen is also dated November 10th. And when the duo are asked to open the New Jersey night club on November 15th, they respond they can't because that is the next day after the telethon ... and that date is inconsistent with both the calendar and the room service bill.

Quotes:

Lanny Morris: Having to be a nice guy is the toughest job in the world when you're not.

Movie Connections:

Featured in This Film Is Not Yet Rated (2006)

Soundtrack:

Maggot Brain

This film wants to be too much at the same time

In enjoyed most of Egoyan's movies very much, but I was disappointed by Where The Truth Lies. I got the impression the film wants to be too much at the same time. There is no real focus while the story swerves from the fifties to the seventies, and from Los Angeles to New York to Miami. It's a historical portrait about Hollywood in the fifties, but also a psychological drama and a whodunit at the same time. This movie could have been great if it restricted itself to one of those genres. I kept wondering what Egoyan wanted to tell us - except who killed Maureen O'Flaherty. Maybe he wanted to tell us only that, but in that case the movie could have been a lot less complex. What annoyed me most was the completely improbable plot. A corpse in a lobster crate, mixed-up identities, secret letters from unknown senders, blackmail threats - that's so Agatha Christie! And I wonder if anyone felt not disappointed after the ridiculous ending.