"Where the Truth Lies"
Seeing ads for "Where the Truth Lies", I had no idea it was an Egoyan film. It does seem out of place in his repertoire. Here was a movie touted as a murder mystery, and not much else. Well, a lot of it took place in and around forty years ago, but that's when murder mysteries were at their peak, so… a murder mystery first and foremost. Could Egoyan stray far enough from puzzling subtext to create something worthwhile, or would he fall into the trap that he so eloquently set for himself in "The Sweet Hereafter"? Here is an example of a director who can directly benefit from making a more mainstream film, and I don't say that often.
Well, I prepared myself for the worst, and received the best Egoyan film to date. "Where the Truth Lies" is more than a simple murder story, but not so much more that it is confusing. It shows a very real relationship and dedication to its characters and between them, and shies away from nothing as the picture unfolds. It is what "Basic Instinct" intended to be: Curious and sexy in equal amounts. Best of all, I followed it easily. Through every non-convoluted twist and all, it all made sense, right down to its killer. I know that doesn't sound like much, but mystery movies today have a tendency to either become convoluted, confusing, or utterly predictable, and that "Where the Truth Lies" avoids not one, but all of these pitfalls is quite an achievement.
Sometimes I frustrate myself with my need to say nothing overly specific about the film I'm reviewing. Because I write for the person who has not yet seen the film in question, I wish to spoil as little as possible. For me to go into more details about this or any other film would be to violate my ambition, and sometimes that is frustrating. So trust me. If you are a fan of a good old fashioned murder mystery, or a fan of good old fashioned naked breasts, you will enjoy "Where the Truth Lies".
