| L.I.E. |
| © 2007 by C. E. Murphy. All Rights Reserved. |
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As we moved into the 21st Century, there are very few societal taboos left. Scatological
language has become commonplace; nudity is allowed in PG-13 films (not to mention on
websites across the Internet); violent images are rampant in everything from our television
programs to video games. While there probably always will be a small cadre of individuals and
institutions clamoring for us to return to the values of the "old days," but the horse is already out of
the barn as it were. In spite of the desire by some, the clock cannot be turned back. About the only
thing that carries a modicum of impropriety is sex with animals (bestiality) or sex with children
(pedophilia and its related disorders).
L.I.E., the surprisingly accomplished debut feature film of writer-director Michael Cuesta,
focuses on a main character whose unabashed attraction to young boys. Undoubtedly, the movie
will startle some viewers and perhaps even enrage others, especially since this character --
named Big John and played with bravery and nuance by British actor Brian Cox -- emerges as a
somewhat sympathetic character.
Since the 1950s, suburbia has been touted as the place to flock to escape the horrors and
troubles of life in a metropolitan area. In the postwar years, planned communities like Levittown
and bedroom communities surrounding major cities sprang up. Life there, however, proved to
have its own set of issues. Writers from John Cheever to Richard Yates to John Updike chronicled
the malaise and frustrations of suburbanites and in the last twenty or so years, motion pictures as
diverse as ORDINARY PEOPLE, BLUE VELVET, and AMERICAN BEAUTY mined the
psyche of the territory.
In 1998, Todd Solondz upset many film goers and critics with a ground-breaking portrait of a
pedophile, a therapist and family man who on the surface appeared quite normal but who
harbored a dark soul, in HAPPINESS. Three years later, Cuesta (in a script co-written with his
brother Gerald and former police officer Stephen M. Ryder) explored the world of a former Marine
with a taste for young boys. What was most disturbing about L.I.E. (which screened at both the
Sundance Film Festival and New York's "New Directors/New Films") was the implication that the
relations between his main character, a former Marine, and the youths may have been
consensual. By tackling such a risque subject in a very thought-provoking manner, the movie
makers risk alienating the art-house crowd. Some may have a hard time accepting the notion that
a pedophile could actually be capable of compassion and caring, especially in a non-sexual
manner. While the screenplay is not without flaws, it provides rich opportunities for actors to
embody well-drawn characters who explore provocative ideas that are not exploitative. The adult
material in the film is handled without titillation and in a fairly realistic fashion, so, of course, the
Motion Picture Association of America slapped the dreaded rating of NC-17 on the film. [I must
digress a bit to express my disappointment with the MPAA which does not seem to have any
issue with violence but is so squeamish about sex, and homosexuality in particular. Movies filled
with death and destruction can elicit a PG-13 rating and woman can appear full-frontal in R-rated
movies but anything that has to do with the male body or same sex issues nearly always gets
slapped with an NC-17. It is unfathomable and mind-boggling that as we move into the 21st
Century this occurs -- but it does.]
The Long Island Expressway, colloquially known as the L.I.E., connects the suburbs of Suffolk
and Norfolk counties with New York City. Daily commuters face traffic nightmares and seemingly
endless construction delays and more than a few fatal accidents like the ones that claimed the
lives of singer Harry Chapin or film director Alan J. Pakula. In this film, the highway has claimed
the life of the mother of its protagonist Howie Blitzer (Paul Franklin Dano in a terrific performance).
Howie is still in mourning and his father Marty (Bruce Altman) is dealing with his grief by
concentrating on his shady business dealings and a nubile young girlfriend with whom he enjoys
loud and frequent sex. Howie is like an unmoored vessel, seeking human connection where ever
he can find it -- which he does with a local gang that includes the charismatic and amoral Gary
(Billy Kay in a strong supporting performance). For his part, Gary recognizes the effect he has on
Howie -- and he willingly exploits the homoerotic undercurrent to entice Howie to join his gang of
bored, disaffected teens who spend their time shooting the breeze or breaking into local homes
for the fun of it.
Howie and Gary burglar the home of Big John Harrigan (Cox) to steal a pair of antique guns.
The teens are not aware, however, that Harrigan is home celebrating his birthday with his ancient
mother and some attractive young males. Hearing the hubbub, he stumbles on the two teens as
they are making a getaway. Harrigan tears the pocket off of Howie's jeans and like the prince in
the fairy tale, he searches the neighborhood looking for the owner of the torn jeans, eventually
discovering Howie.
While there may have been an ulterior motive in Big John's stalking Howie (beyond the return of
the two pistols), Harrigan responds to the troubled boy in a surprising manner. Howie's emotional
nakedness touches the older man and Harrigan reaches out. What may have begun as a sexual
interest somehow transforms into something more avuncular. At this point, the script goes slightly
awry. Marty Blitzer is arrested and none of the authorities appear to realize he has a teenage son
who is now left to his own devices. This plot turn leads Howie back to Big John and its a sour note
in an otherwise intriguing story. It opens the relationship between them and allows it to deepen in
a manner that may make some of the audience squirm. Cuesta wisely choses not to tip his hand
as to the exact nature of their interactions which is one of L.I.E.'s strengths: it maintains a balance
that leaves the audience on edge. Unfortunately, it also paints the characters into a corner and in
order to provide a resolution, the screenwriters opted for an understandable, but pat ending.
Cuesta, a director of commercials and a photographer, has a strong eye for composition and
framing scenes and his use of the camera is imaginative and intriguing. He also proves to be a
whiz with actors, eliciting excellent performances from his leading players. The stage-trained
Dano emerges as a star-in-the-making. Very few of his contemporaries could handle the range
and depth of this character. Matching him in intensity and ability is Billy Kay, who makes Gary
such a forceful presence that his absence in the latter scenes is palpable.
But the real lynchpin to the movie is Brian Cox, who has never shied away from portraying men
with questionable values. (Cox was the first actor to embody the serial killer Hannibal Lecter in
MANHUNTER long before Anthony Hopkins sank his teeth into the role.) Despite delivering a
string of fine work, Cox remains something of an undersung presence in movies. His take on this
character, a pederast with a moral compass, is exceptional. He elevates this flawed movie to a
different level and makes it worth viewing.
Rating: B+
MPAA Rating: NC-17*
Running time: 108 mins.*
*Note: The film was re-edited for DVD release in 2002 at which time the
97-minute version was rated R for strong sexual content
involving teens, language and brief violence.