''Lying'' is a 2006 American
psychological drama film
In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...
by writer and first-time director
M. Blash
M. Blash (born 1978) is an American film director, screenwriter, actor, and visual artist. He has written and directed several independent films, including the improvisational drama ''Lying'' (2006), and the dramatic thriller '' The Wait'' (2013 ...
. It stars
Chloë Sevigny,
Jena Malone
Jena Laine Malone (; born November 21, 1984) is an American actress, musician, and photographer. Known for her roles in both independent films and mainstream blockbuster features, she has received numerous accolades, including nominations for a ...
,
Leelee Sobieski
Liliane Rudabet Gloria Elsveta "Leelee" Sobieski (born June 10, 1983) is an American artist and former actress. She achieved fame in her teens with roles in films such as '' Deep Impact'', ''Eyes Wide Shut'', '' Joy Ride'', '' Here on Earth'', a ...
, and
Henry Gummer.
and premiered at the
Directors Fortnight sidebar at the 2006
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...
.
The film had a limited US release in 2008, followed by a DVD release in May 2009 and a small theatrical
re-release
In the music industry, a reissue (also re-release, repackage or re-edition) is the release of an album or single which has been released at least once before, sometimes with alterations or additions.
Reasons for reissue
New audio formats
Rec ...
in September 2009.
While the film follows a fairly loose,
ambiguous narrative
A narrative, story, or tale is any account of a series of related events or experiences, whether nonfictional (memoir, biography, news report, documentary, travelogue, etc.) or fictional ( fairy tale, fable, legend, thriller, novel, etc. ...
, it focuses on a group of acquaintances who spend the weekend together at a remote country house; the situation becomes complex throughout the days, though, as one of the women turns out to be a
pathological liar
Pathological lying, also known as ''mythomania'' and ''pseudologia fantastica'', is a chronic behavior in which the person habitually or compulsively lies. These lies often serve no obvious purpose other than to paint oneself as a hero or victi ...
.
Plot
Megan, an heiress, invites several women from her
yoga
Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consci ...
class—Grace, Linda, and Hella—to spend a weekend with her at her large country home in
upstate New York
Upstate New York is a geographic region consisting of the area of New York State that lies north and northwest of the New York City metropolitan area. Although the precise boundary is debated, Upstate New York excludes New York City and Long Is ...
. Hella's fiancé has recently left her, which prompted Megan to plan the get-together. The women arrive together, and Megan prepares a meal which they eat outside at a picnic table. She comments that the phone lines are down, so they will not be able to contact anyone for the weekend. Grace poses prying questions toward Megan during the dinner, specifically regarding Megan's deceased parents from whom she inherited the home. Hella chastises Grace for being confrontational. Megan brings each of them
crystal gardens she has prepared in jars. The four women go for a walk in the woods at night, and are frightened by Henry, Megan's brother, who arrives unannounced. Grace remarks that Megan never mentioned having a brother. Megan asks Henry to leave shortly after.
The next morning, Megan encounters a young boy in the woods who claims to be lost. He explains that he was camping with his family, and talks to her about he wants to be in the army. Meanwhile, Sarah, a neighbor whose house borders Megan's property, observes the women from her kitchen. She goes outside and waves flags in the air to capture their attention to no avail. The women play
croquet
Croquet ( or ; french: croquet) is a sport that involves hitting wooden or plastic balls with a mallet through hoops (often called "wickets" in the United States) embedded in a grass playing court.
Its international governing body is the W ...
together, and Megan comments that Henry is working on a novel. Linda is confused, as she recalled Megan telling her Henry was in a band. Later, Megan finds Hella attempting to use the phone.
That night, all four women get drunk on wine, and collectively hear the sound of a woman singing coming from various places inside the house. They make a game out of it, chasing the voice, attempting to locate its source. When Megan traces it to the fireplace, the voice disappears. The following morning, the women stage a video art project outside. Sarah arrives and observes the scene, but is ushered away by Megan. She asks Megan if her parents are coming to visit, to which Megan responds no, and explains that they will be leaving in the morning. Megan asks Sarah about her deceased parents, and the nature of a pending settlement. Megan invites Sarah for breakfast the next morning.
Meanwhile, Grace snoops around the house and finds Megan's passport. During dinner, the women discuss Sarah, and Megan comments that she purchased the plot of land next to Sarah's and had the house built. Grace questions this, as the house appears old. Grace challenges Megan again when she claims that
locust
Locusts (derived from the Vulgar Latin ''locusta'', meaning grasshopper) are various species of short-horned grasshoppers in the family Acrididae that have a swarming phase. These insects are usually solitary, but under certain circumstanc ...
s migrate to the arctic each year. Grace later tells Hella that Megan has lied about her age. In the morning, Grace confronts Hella and Linda with a cache of bills and paperwork she discovered in a drawer, indicating that Megan has been lying about the house being hers. The three women leave.
Sarah arrives for breakfast, and finds Megan alone. Megan says the three women had to get back to the city. Sarah tells Megan that a young boy was just found after having gone missing while camping nearby with his family; she explains that the boy alleged to have seen a woman who refused to help him, and that the authorities have chalked it up to him having a hallucination. Megan does not admit to her encounter with him. The two enter the house to prepare breakfast.
Cast
*
Chloë Sevigny as Megan
*
Jena Malone
Jena Laine Malone (; born November 21, 1984) is an American actress, musician, and photographer. Known for her roles in both independent films and mainstream blockbuster features, she has received numerous accolades, including nominations for a ...
as Grace
*Maya Goldsmith as Linda
*Halley Wegryn Gross as Hella
*
Leelee Sobieski
Liliane Rudabet Gloria Elsveta "Leelee" Sobieski (born June 10, 1983) is an American artist and former actress. She achieved fame in her teens with roles in films such as '' Deep Impact'', ''Eyes Wide Shut'', '' Joy Ride'', '' Here on Earth'', a ...
as Sarah
*
Henry Gumner as Henry
*P.J. Verhoest as Boy
Production
M. Blash wrote a minimal script for the film, and shared it with eventual producer Molly Hassell (PCH Film/Catfish Prods.) in 2005. In June of that year, the project was given the go-ahead and actresses Chloe Sevigny and Jena Malone were attached to star in it. It was filmed in November 2005 in the New York town of
Millerton.
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lying
2006 films
2000s avant-garde and experimental films
American avant-garde and experimental films
American independent films
Films set in country houses
Films shot in New York (state)
2006 directorial debut films
2006 independent films
2000s English-language films
2000s American films