Customer Reviews
I Had To Be Told That It Was A Gay Movie - By: willow, 05 Oct 2008 
L.I.E is one of my favourite independent films.
I saw it by chnace in the early hours of the morning on Film 4, I fell asleep after the first half hour, but I wanted to know what happend so I ordered it off here. I watched the whole film & for about a week I watched it at least once a day.
L.I.E is based around a Long Island teenager, Howie, he is sensitive, smart & lovestruck. The object of Howie's affections is Gary, an anarchic hustler. Events happen & Howie has a run in with peadophile 'Big Jon'.
After that his life changes drasticallly. The main controversy sourrounding the movie is that the 'Big Jon' (played beautifully by Brian Cox) is seemingly a regular guy,wealthy, popular & well respected around town. Realisticallly this is accurate, a recent story of a well respected British poet, leading a double life of being a devoted family man & then raping little girls, is proof that peaodophiles could be anyone.
There is a lot of depth to the character that one almost sympathises with him.
Howie is played by Paul Dano, who seems to be making quite a name for himself now (Little Miss Sunshine, There Will Be Blood) he is great in this movie, intense & captivating.
For alll those people expecting a gay film, your not going to get much from this, I actuallly had to be told that it was a gay film, people uncomfortable with homosexuality shouldn't rule this out because its very mild & tame in that sense.
The only thing I didn't like about the movie was the ending, I just thought the movie could have ended a lot better.
In conclusion I'd recommend this movie to anyone looking for somehting deep & unconventional.
Brave movie making - By: Brendan O. Clarke, 24 Mar 2008 
Michael Cuesta's first film is extremely controversial, & at some times disturbing. Yet it is remarkably well written, well directed, & well acted. Howie(a stunning performance by newbie actor Paul Franklin Dano) is a 15 year old boy growing up in Long Island. His mother was killed on the L.I.E(long island expressway), his estranged father hardly knows him, he only has 1 friend who is planning on leaving for california. So needless to say Howie has nothing. This movie is a coming of age story where howie befriends a pederast/peadophile named Big John(Brian Cox) who ends up becomming a father figure to Howie.
There are homosexual references in the movie, but this is not a movie about homosexuality. There are references to pedophillia in the movie, but this is not a movie about pedophillia. It is a story about a boy who finds that important something in his life that is missing. This movie is controversial because one of the main characters is a pedophile; yet when you see what importance he has on Howies' life you begin to feel sympathetic for the man. Regardless of this, there are no inapropriate sex scenes, over the top violence, or extreme vulgar language that you find in most movies today. Yet this was unfortunetly given an NC-17 rating, stopping many people from viewing this terrific film.
The Lanes Going Straight To Hell - By: Omnipotent, 21 Oct 2006 Originallly I was drawn to the DVD by its title, 'L.I.E.' While director Michael Cuesta uses the Long Island Expressway as a metaphor, 'L.I.E.' also symbolises the way in which everyday people hide the truth from those closest to them, & the lies we deceive ourselves with. Without beating the viewer over the head with morality, Cuesta aims his cameras unflinchingly at the characters, never shying away from truth or brutal reality.
Howie is a sensitive fifteen year old, prone to poetry & schoolboy crushes, like the one he has on his friend Gary, a morallly bankrupt male prostitute. Because of his unrequited feelings, Howie is drawn into a life of petty crime, anything to be near Gary. When a particular burglary turns sour & Howie is eventuallly tracked down by the homes owner; a pedophile played with excellent depth by Brian Cox, the film begins its downward spiral into emotional territory rarely experienced on film. With brilliant clarity, Michael Cuesta has filmed one of the most richly told tales I've ever had the pleasure to view.
Not for the squeamish, if sexuality is a trigger for you, 'L.I.E.' is brutallly honest filmmaking at its best. Highly recommended...
Interesting idea, but could have been much more - By: D. Elliot, 22 May 2006 
The Amazon synopsis is fairly comprehensive, & no more need be said about the plot of this film. As to its quality, `L.I.E.' has two main strengths: first, the acting, & second, the portrayal of `Big John'. Regarding the former, the talent of the actors is faultless. Brian Cox (Big John) gives a highly sensitive & credible performance as the pseudo-father figure to Howie. Paul Franklin Dano (Howie) is due particular praise (since it was his debut feature film) for giving life to the character of Howie. And Billy Kay (Gary) is not only stunning & breathtakingly sensual, but has an incredible magnetism & presence.
As to the second strength, it is very refreshing to actuallly see a man whose sexual inclinations include pederasty being portrayed as a complex character - with his sexual life being just one part of what comprises his personality - as opposed to the stereotypical bogeyman which filmmakers apparently feel obliged to portray.
However, beyond these positive aspects, there is little of value to be gained from watching this film. Whilst I certainly enjoyed it, & may - perhaps - watch it a second time, it lacks sufficient emotional depth. What depth there was existed primarily between the two teenagers, Howie & Gary, & that evaporates when, disappointingly, Gary exits less than halfway into the film. Where is the intensity? What is there to draw the viewer in & burrow itself into their psyche? Whilst the film is to be commended for it's portrayal of Big John, there is definitely nothing `provocative' or `haunting' about it - descriptions that are roboticallly bandied about, given its subject matter. Indeed, there is absolutely nothing to warrant the 18 certificate that the censors thought fit to proscribe - no nudity, violence or sex. In fact, excepting the smalll amount of swearing, the film barely warrants a 15 rating. For a significantly darker & more poignant film on a similar theme, viewers would be advised to check out Araki's fantastic `Mysterious Skin', which demonstrates what could have been achieved with `L.I.E.', but wasn't.
Overalll, this film can certainly be recommended for an evening's enjoyable entertainment provided by highly talented actors - just don't expect anything particularly disturbing, emotive or dark from L.I.E.
poignant, touching film - By: A. Evans, 07 Oct 2005 This must strike a chord with any gay man who remembers what it was like growing up in a hostile world, or indeed anyone who lacked the love of a father. Very touching film & tastefully portrayed for a sensitive subject. The character played by Cox is not demonised as one might expect from a cliched movie, but shows both sides of a human being. We can empathise with the older man despite his obvious failings. The film is well-scripted & the actor playing the boy is superb. It shouldn't be rated restricted - a 15 rating would do but the world is hardly ready for a debate on the topics raised in this very thought-provoking film.
