Nothing But The Lie

A good piece of storytelling based on actual events makes this movie a great watch. The treatment given to the plight of a struggling writer who pulls off a hoax on a publishing company is in a class of its own.

Set in New York in 1971, the film takes the audience through a roller coaster ride of lies and dubious research methods as well as some witty dialogue.

Richard Gere plays the down-and-out author Clifford Irving, who cooks up a scheme to write a bogus biography of Howard Hughes, the reclusive American billionaire.

The film truly belongs to director Lassa Hailstorm and Gere who make the story as gripping as only they can. Gere especially should be commended for beautifully portraying a suave fraudster.

Alfred Molina as the assistant writer Dick Suskind, also turns in a good performance. We also get to see Eli Wallach of the classic western era in the supporting role of the eccentric Noah Dietrich.

The McGraw-Hill and Life magazine boardroom tussles are the high point of the movie which falls in line with his earlier movies What's Eating Gilbert Grape and The Cider House Rules. His style of taking true stories and works of literature to greater heights via his filmmaking efforts is remarkable.

Movies like The Hoax come once in a while. Don't miss it.

The writer is Creative and programming Head, Zee TV, Middle East