Monday, November 07, 2005

Lie With Me

I was able to get a free pass to see Clement Vergo's new film Lie With Me in the Film Theory class...
it was screened at the Toronto Film Fest..but since there was quite a bit of sexuality in it..so i decided not to go..however, after the screenings, the critics and audiences loved it...not because of the nudity, but cause it truly was a great film...so i had to see it myself to find out...


The story is about Laurie, a pretty, young woman who is looking for adventure...
she goes out to clubs every night..to dance with strangers and have one night stands with them...
or watch porn at home...stage play, give commands for the guys to do...
Laurie is not satisfy that only the men are having fun... leaving their "scent" everywhere...
so she kinda want to gain back the power...
her life goes on as usual until she finally met David, whom she loved and really want to spend time with...
but how will the relationship work out between them?? is it just a sexual relationship??

In this movie, the role of the gender is switched... or on a level playing field..
it is usually the man who goes out and finds pretty girls in most movies..
but this time, the story is told from a woman's point of view...
it is showing how the relationship between man and woman are down to just physical pleasure...
that they don't even have to know each others' names...
and that it is after the sexual act that they introduce themselves or have a date...
to go out for dinner or do something...

Shot right here in downtown Toronto, queen street...
the overall photographic look is really great...
the clothes, the makeup, the hair, the sets...are all really great...
because there a lots of hype on how much nudity there are in the film..
so the director just gives the audience the very thing that they want to see at the very beginning..lots of it too...
it is kinda to the point where...
ohh...ok...another love scene...um...already seen her naked several times...
um....anything else??
now that the audience is satisfy, the story can move on...
This movie is way more than just a movie with lots of sex..
is really beautifully shot...not like any old cheap XXX movies...
it works just like how the relationships ppl have nowadays...
have all the sex first...
then build the relationship or think about if he/she is the one that we love..
have all the sex first...
then tell the story...
and every sex scene that was in the movie, there was a purpose..
it advances the plot, builds up the relationship tension between Laurie and David..
gives more emotional depth to the characters...

Laurie says...
"It doesn't matter if it is a one night stand, had sex for a week, or 10 months or 5 years...it still hurts the body..."

It is really sad to see the message of the film...
and the truth behind it...
As the story advances...
Laurie really fell in love with David..
having come from a broken family...
but all she knows is how to have sex...and didn't know how to love a person
so when David is having problems and needs someone to care about...
she doesn't know what to do or how to handle it.. how to care for him...
all she can do is just give him physical pleasure..
which is not the thing that he needs...
she really do love him or care about David...
but just don't know how to express it...
and that's the saddest part of the movie..
which is also true to the youth today or society as a whole...
because of the causal relationships that the masses have in society...
they are only after the physical relationship...
cannot really connect with others emotionally...
and if they were not able to connect, then they will just think that just don't love the person enough..
so just go out and find another partner to fill the empty space inside of them...
with the only way that they know how...

There are several references with the characters looking at the mirror...
it is like the baby's first time looking at the mirror, the image of themseleves...
confused...looking for their identity...

I remember i was asked by some friends that..
why are you guys not talking about sex..
why are you guys not comfortable with sex?
it is our sexuality, we should be comfortable with it..

Then i answered...
it is because we do cherish it...
and that everyone in the society do it... or they tell you to do it..
doesn't mean that it is right...
and it doesn't mean that i am not comfortable with my sexuality..
i am very comfortable...
know what to expect or should treat a lady as a man...
i guess they are the ones who are not alright with their identity and sexuality, so that's why have have to look for these kinds of adventures to prove to themselves...

and i do think that it hurts a relationship alot..when it does happen so fast..
when the relationship is not even mature...
will just breaks it up...hurts both parties emotionally and physically...

This is a really great film..
but really have to watch with discretion and discernment