M. BLASH'S LYING

When a long weekend brings four women together in the countryside, each of them is forced to navigate the depths of social interaction as virtual strangers. How well do we really know the friends we make in adulthood? And in an age of lies, what can be made of a person who tells untruths so small they serve no obvious purpose?

Writer/director M. Blash delves into the world of little white lies and those who tell them, those who accept them, and those who forcefully reject them. LYING stars Chloë Sevigny, Jena Malone, Maya Goldsmith, Halley Wegryn Gross and Leelee Sobieski.

Sometimes the best sign of really affecting art is a response of strong opinions. LYING seems to be a deeply rewarding exploration for some, and a polarizing experience for others. I urge people to see this as an attraction and not a deterrent... because what it means is that LYING has somehow bypassed the filter of the "system" that tries to condition films to fit the mold of what studios think the vague, broad audience wants. It is a rare example of creative liberation on the part of the filmmaker. So what you are getting is a film that does not treat you (the viewer) as a child, with easy plot points, melodrama or on the button literal "meanings" to things. On the contrary, M Blash treats us with a great deal of respect for our intelligence, and seems to be confident in us as viewers to cull our own experiences to find poignancy in his characters and images.

LYING is a fantastic mystery film, of the rarest kind. The type that explores the unsolvable mysteries of human behavior, relationships and interactions. The clues are all in the gestures, the tone of voice, the phrasings, in eyes and on the faces of these five women, and it is exciting to watch because of strong and etherial performances from Jena Malone, Chloe Sevigny, Halley Wegryn Gross, Maya Goldsmith and Leelee Sobieski. Not to mention beautiful, hazy cinematography that is imperfect, yes, but rich with texture and a fitting rawness.

Lying is of course, the central theme. The different ways that people lie to each other, particularly in adulthood, that makes us question how well we really know our friends and acquaintances around us. But while LYING does provoke you to contemplate why people lie, it's focus is on HOW people lie. Blash's film does not try to force a moral stance or a definitive statement about lying down your throat. It's up to you to figure out the "why", and decide what levels of falsehood you are willing to live with and what has gone too far.

The search for the singing voice is an amazing scene. It is the centerpiece of LYING, by far the most memorable sequence, and so powerful when we see Sevigny's character sitting back and marveling over the hysterics her lies have created.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001UWOLS4/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_dp