Dir.
Clement Virgo, 2007, Canada, 90 mins
Cast: Lauren Lee Smith, Eric Balfour, Polly Shannon
Review by Becky Day
Pushing the boundaries
of erotica and drama feature, Lie with Me focuses on the
emotional and very physical journey of the narrator Leila
(Lee Smith). Leila graphically describes her life and how
powerful it makes her feels to go for what she wants and
when she gets it. She has never been in love and is emotionally
void. She merely enjoys the physical pleasures of live.
Without blinking, Leila will cross whatever social taboos
she must in the search of that part of herself she has
not been able to reach even after a large number of lovers.
She has been looking for someone to bring “it” out of her; but she doesn’t
know what “it” is.
You should see this film with an open mind, a free spirit
and no expectations. The story, as the title suggests, follows
Leila's sexual adventures and there are some intense scenes
which are reminiscent of the uncomfortable atmosphere in
a musty, adult cinema in Soho. One particular scene has Leila
having a conversation with her lover whilst performing oral
sex on him. The cameras hide nothing.
Even though she is no stranger to tv (The L Word and Mutant
X) this was undoubtedly for Lee Smith a headfirst dive into
feature film, and she selected the type of film that does
not come along very often.
However, behind the nudity there is
a compelling story here: Leila is on a voyage of self-discovery.
There are underlying problems with her mum and dad’s divorce and how she
is trying to cope with both of their failures. Self-discovery
might be a very common topic for films, but this film deals
with basic human nature. In the midst of Leila troubles she
discovers someone that is like her, emotionally and physically,
and a connection is made she didn’t think she could
ever have.
Eric Balfour (In her shoes) plays
her love interest David. Unfortunately his character is
hard to empathise with. At first he comes across as the
ultimate dirty player: slick hair, bulging arms, corny
lines and the overused euphemism – tiny “feet”.
But for some reason she falls in love with him.
There are situations and people in
the plot that are manufactured to make his character “sweet” and “complicated”,
but he still comes across as a greasy piece. The fact that
Leila's interested in him reflects badly on her and even
makes you lose interest in her. There are some scenes between
the two which could be edited down to a 'Peter Andre and
Jennifer Love Hewitt look-alikes get it on' DVD.
However, it is always great to watch a story that shows
women can be as aggressive and unemotional as men. It is
also a credit to Virgo's captivating direction that makes
the action soft, but implicit. His camera intensifies scenes
by focusing on the lovers' hands, eyes and even nervous tics.
It is also quite a quiet film, driven more by emotions and
guesses. The photography is beautiful with a skillful use
of colour to mirror Leila's emotions.
Ultimately there is something about Leila that keeps you
watching. Perhaps it's that she is so open about her sex
life and does not care how she is perceived. In the end it
is such a strange love story it will stay with you and might
have you thinking about it a week.
Lie
With Me
Release
Date: 29th January
RRP: £17.99
Total
Running Time: 90 mins
Certificate: 18
“Steamy…bold…stimulating
filmmaking.” – Eye Weekly
Challenging
the boundaries established by “9 Songs” and “Destricted”,
Clement Virgo’s “Lie With Me” is a
sensual and explicit love story that pushes mainstream
sexuality to its limits… and beyond.
Sexually
adventurous Leila connects with men through spontaneous,
fleeting encounters. At a crowded house party, she meets
the equally impulsive David. Stunned by the effect of
this brief but lust-drenched liaison, they begin a heated
game of seduction that soon explodes into a full blown
and rampant affair.
Being
intimate is everything to them and they indulge themselves
everywhere -- in bed, on the rooftops, at the park. But
this is different from anything they’ve experienced
before. This is desire beyond the physical. It’s
an emotional craving, something that terrifies them both.
Ravaged by lust, burdened by their spontaneity but desperate
for love, Leila and David embark on an exploration to
the limits of their desires.
Starring
Eric Balfour from ‘Six Feet Under’ and ‘The
O.C.’ and Lauren Lee Smith from ‘The L Word’ and
based on the acclaimed novel by Tamara Faith Berger,
this is a “Last Tango In Paris” for a new
generation and one of the most sexually charged and provocative
films of the decade.
SPECIAL
FEATURES
Theatrical
Trailer
Commentary – Clement
Virgo & Lauren Lee
Behind
the Scenes featurette
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