A hazug

A psychologically charged crime drama that relies on a sophisticated screenplay and a cast led by Tim Roth. It's not so much a film about a brutal murder as it is a cat and mouse game, where until the very end, it's unclear who exactly is the mouse and who is the cat. The clash between two investigators and one suspect manages to sustain itself for the majority of the runtime with just one room and one lie detector. The drama is built on dialogue, camera work, and the outstanding performances of the three main male characters. Thanks to them, the chemistry between the adversaries works splendidly, and the film is strongest in those moments when their intellects clash. It's a film about lies and manipulation. The women in the film are not significant, not even Renée Zellweger gets much screen time, as the film was made before she became a recognized star. The problem is that similar thrillers are often overly sensationalized, they are simply constructed to shock the audience as much as possible, and the whole complicated game usually doesn't take into account several crucial details; in other words, the logic of the characters' actions is somewhat flawed, and the most brilliant plan doesn't account for the possibility that the victim might take a step aside. It's simply a Hollywood film that's better not to think too deeply about. The film's structure somewhat resembles the much more famous Basic Instinct, with the difference being that Sharon simply appealed more to the male audience than three brooding guys. The best actor on the screen for me was Chris Penn, who is, unfortunately, an underrated actor, but who managed to imbue his policeman with humanity and naivety at the same time. Overall impression: 60%. (2009.08.21)