Ídolos, mentiras y rock & roll

"Telling Lies in America" is a film that seems to have gone directly to video. It certainly deserved a wider audience because what Guy Ferland, the director does with the screen play Joe Eszterhas wrote for the film. Mr. Eszterhas is a man that can write, although some of his efforts have misfired.

If you haven't seen the film, perhaps you should stop reading here.

The basic problem with the film is the casting of Brad Renfro as the main character of the film. While this actor is not a bad actor, he seems miscast as this Karchy Jonas. Most comments in this forum focus on the fact Karchy has no accent, but having been in Cleveland for about seven years, explain that he already has a command of the language. Yes, he might stumble upon certain words, as shown in the film, but basically the character is believable. The only thing is that Mr. Renfro looks an older fourteen, rather than the seventeen he is in the film.

This fact becomes painfully apparent in his relationship with Diney, and with the older woman Billy decides to have him experience sex for the first time. We are not saying it's not possible, because it can easily have been the case, which might have been derived from an experience of Mr. Eszterhas life.

The other thing that doesn't ring true is the relationship between Karchy and his father. It appears that he can do whatever he wants and it's OK with the old man. Usually in the case of immigrant families, it's just the opposite. People immigrating to this country tend to be more protective, demanding discipline and obedience that is nowhere to be seen in the film. Also, Karchy's behavior in school would have probably grounded him forever, but it never comes into play.

The marvelous Kevin Bacon is the best asset this film has going for itself. Not only is Mr. Bacon the most versatile of the current actors working in films, he brings such an intelligent take to his take on Billy Magic, the DJ of the local radio station that sees right through the lies Karchy Jonas tells. Being a liar himself, Billy can pick a liar whenever he sees one, as is the case when he meets Jonas. Billy Magic has no scruples. He takes money from the record companies, but he has Karchy pick the envelopes.

The cast is good. Maximilian Schell, plays the father, Dr. Jonas, a man so decent, one wonders where did Karchy go wrong. He seems to be a loving father, albeit a distant one. Is it perhaps the fact that the son has embraced the American culture with too much gusto? That might explain the difference, although Karchy is never disrespectful to the old man.

Calista Flockhart is seen as Diney, the mousy worker at the poultry shop where young Karchy works after school. Ms. Flockhart is perfect as the older girl that inspires love in the young man. Luke Wilson is seen as the man in charge of the shop. Paul Dooley makes a wonderful Father Norton, the man who dares put Karchy in his place.

Notable in the film is the use of the popular songs that one hears in the sound track. It made perfect sense the use of those tunes since the background is a popular radio station that catered to teenagers.

This is a film that should be seen by more people because of the good work the director and screen writer have done.

"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 is a charming movie that touches upon payola in the 60's. Bacon takes money for overplaying a song on radio, thus boosting its ratings, and uses Renfro as a go-between for these dealings so that the money never goes direct from sponsor to Bacon. After a while Renfro becomes bolder as some of Bacon's attitude rubs off on him. He starts lying about his background, car and things he's done to impress those around him. But he finally quits when he realizes that these 'white' lies hurt as well as the 'black' ones. When the FBI decide to pressure Renfro into giving evidence against Bacon by speaking to the judge during his naturalization proceedings, things take an interesting twist as the judge, before the proceedings, speak to Renfro alone and have a little chat about George Washington and the cherry tree. Won't spoil it by telling you what it is, but watch and find out, as it has a bearing on the movie as well. Calista Flockhart puts up a pretty convincing performance as well.

In the early 1960s, Cleveland, Ohio immigrant teenager Brad Renfro (as Karchy Jonas) struggles with adolescence and assimilation. Mr. Renfro is working on eradicating the remnants of his Hungarian accent (his "th" sound). Meanwhile, slick disc jockey Kevin Bacon (as Billy Magic) arrives in town (one step ahead of the law), to spin "sweaty collar and dirty fingernail music" on the local rock 'n' roll radio station. Mr. Bacon is a payola player, who needs an underage kid to handle money illegal exchanges. When Renfro cheats on a radio contest, Bacon offers him big bucks to serve as "unwitting accomplice"...

Bacon swaggers through his role with perfection. And, Renfro is incredible, in a very difficult role; capturing the vulnerability of youth, as he struggles to both adopt and resist Bacon's seductive persona. Calista Flockhart (as Diney Majeski) is very effective, as Renfro's "older woman" love interest. Their performances should have received some award consideration. Maximilian Schell (as Istvan Jonas) would have been more believable as Renfro's grandfather, to support the obviously wider than envisioned cultural gap between the characters. A few of the scenes are silly, but many more work, due to director Guy Ferland and his convincing cast.

"I make things up sometimes," Renfro reveals. Don't we all. "Telling Lies in America" certainly breaks no new ground - but, it revisits cinematic themes in great style. The film builds to a fine conclusion, and the music is terrific.

******** Telling Lies in America (8/2/97) Guy Ferland ~ Brad Renfro, Kevin Bacon, Calista Flockhart, Maximilian Schell

Kevin Bacon is the best thing about this film. He can play any

type of role, barely human (Murder in the First), a small-time

crook (The River Wild) or a twisted DJ (Telling Lies in

America). Here he is believable and puts in a good performance.

Brad Renfro also does well in his role, but isn't very

convincing. Two problems.

1.) He comes from Hungary, but has no accent, and sounds like he

came from New York

2.) Age. A year before this was filmed, he co-starred in The

Cure. There he played an 11 year old, and looked too old. Here

he plays a 17 year old, and looks too young for the role.

The other highlight is Maximillian Schell (I doubt I spelled

his name right). He is fourth billed as Renfro's Hungarian

father and is dead-on. Why Joe Esterhaus (Spelling error?) is

America's top paid screenwriter will never be known. He writes

lame scripts that deserve to be thrown away, but are instead

made into big-budget movies like this one.

+ (GOOD THINGS) 1.) Kevin Bacon's performance 2.) Maximillian

Schell's performance 3.) Plot line

• (BAD THINGS) 1.) Pretty well everything else