''Deceiver'' (UK title: ''Liar'') is a 1997 American mystery film directed by Jonas Pate and Josh Pate and starring Tim Roth, Chris Penn, Michael Rooker, Renée Zellweger, Ellen Burstyn and Rosanna Arquette. It won Best Cinematography and Best Screenplay at the 1997 Stockholm Film Festival, and the Special Jury Prize at the 1998 Cognac Police Film Festival.

Plot

Textile company heir James Wayland ( Tim Roth) is accused of murdering a prostitute named Elizabeth ( Renée Zellweger), whose body was found cut in two. The murder is investigated by tough detective Kennesaw ( Michael Rooker) and his less experienced partner Braxton ( Chris Penn). Wayland is a heavy drinker and compulsive liar, prone to memory losses and periods of violence. He is rich enough to access necessary information, however, and he soon learns his interrogators' own dark secrets - Kennesaw had an affair with Elizabeth to get back at his wife ( Rosanna Arquette) for cheating on him, while Braxton has gambling debts with a bookie known as "Mook" ( Ellen Burstyn), who is demanding $20,000 payment.

Cast

* Tim Roth as James Walter Wayland * Chris Penn as Detective Phillip Braxton * Ellen Burstyn as "Mook" * Renée Zellweger as Elizabeth * Michael Rooker as Detective Edward Kennesaw * Rosanna Arquette as Mrs. Kennesaw * Michael Parks as Dr. Banyard * Mark Damon as Wayland's father

Reception

The film received a mixed reaction from critics. Rotten Tomatoes gives ''Deceiver'' a rating of 42% from 31 reviews.https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/deceiver

References

External links

* * * 1997 films 1997 crime thriller films 1990s mystery films 1990s psychological thriller films American mystery films American crime thriller films American nonlinear narrative films Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films Films scored by Harry Gregson-Williams 1990s English-language films Films directed by Jonas Pate 1990s American films {{crime-thriller-film-stub