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THE GOOD LIE (2014) – The Review – We Are Movie Geeks

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THE GOOD LIE (2014) – The Review

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THE GOOD LIE

As the temps continue to fall, the studios inch closer to serious film time (and Oscar season) by releasing another movie with the nebulous ad line “inspired by true events”. That phrase has been attached to everything from the Nicholas Sparks adapted weeper THE VOW to sports flicks such as MILLION DOLLAR ARM, often basing the story on just part of an incident. But for this new release the phrase could be amended to “inspired by ongoing true events”. Like 2011’s MACHINE GUN PREACHER, this new film concerns the ongoing conflicts in the Sudan in North Africa. Now the title of this new film is somewhat ironic. It refers to a literary work read by one of the characters, but the title could also be a comment on the film’s marketing, which we’ll discuss a bit later. First let’s explore THE GOOD LIE.

This begins a couple of decades ago in an arid desolate Sudan village. When the quiet is shattered by a heavily armed band of soldiers, a group of now orphaned children scatter into the underbrush. They are now united as brothers and sisters in the long trek to survival and hopefully freedom. During the grueling walk they must resort to desperate measures. After losing brothers to disease and another to the roaming soldiers (he gives himself up in order to let the others escape), the journey ends when they finally reach a refugee camp in neighboring Kenya. Flash forward to 2000 as the core trio of brothers Mamere (Arnold Oceng), Jeremiah (Ger Duany), and Paul (Emmanel Jal) along with sister Abital (Kuoth Wiel) have made the list of those being sent to America thanks to several humanitarian groups. Arriving at the first US airport the brothers are saddened to learn that they will be going to Kansas City while Abital has been assigned hundreds a miles away in Detroit. Mamere insists that soon they will be reunited. Landing in KC they are picked up by frazzled job agency counselor Carrie (Reese Witherspoon). Soon, with the help of her pal Jack (Corey Stoll), each of them is working. But their struggles don’t end. Aspiring pastor Jeremiah is disgusted by the waste at his grocery store gig, while Paul picks up some bad habits from his co-workers on the assembly line at a plumbing supply company. The most troubled may be Mamere. In between his jobs and college classes in pursuit of a medical degree, he’s haunted by memories of his former life. A letter in the mail inspires him to return to Kenya where he makes a most momentous life-changing decision.

In discussing the cast I supposes we should begin with the person most prominent in the adverts (again, more about that later) Oscar-winner Witherspoon. Her charm helps us get past her character’s initial insensitivity and cluelessness toward the trio new to the USA. She shows us a woman who treats people as merely a job or assignment until, despite early frustrations, they melt her hardened heart. Of the threesome, Oceng has perhaps the more dominant and emotional role. His Mamere shoulders the responsibility for the group and the resolve to keep them together, almost as a dad to the other two. He keeps a brave face while being the one that may be most consumed by survivor’s guilt. We see the sadness in his eyes while he struggles in the new land. Duany is the gentle giant with a sunny smile lit by his child-like faith and optimism. This makes his clash over his employer’s callous policies most surprising. If he is the sweet-natured child of the family then Jal is the surly rebellious teen, chafing at the wishes of his father figure (“You are not ny Chief!”). We root for him to put the brakes on his downward spiral. Stoll is warm and patient as the befriending farmer while Sarah Baker scores several laughs as a caring church volunteer who’s not above kicking back a couple of brews at the end of a long day with Reese’s Carrie.

So, here’s my take on the title. The way the producers are selling the film is the big lie, but it’s a good one. Witherspoon takes up a third of the poster, but doesn’t show up until well past the film’s thirty minute mark. She’s being sold as the “star”. The trailers and TV spots feature her predominately along with whimsical clips of the young men adjusting to America (they think there are lions on the farm!) that evoke a fish-out-of-water CROCODILE DUNDEE vibe. But this is not the case at all. In the film’s first act, each child endures more cruelty and hardship than any five average Americans. Kudos to director Philipe Falardeau and screenwriter Margaret Nagle for not watering down the horrors inflicted by the brutal civil war. They also show us that life here doesn’t erase those memories. It’s not a series of zany misadventures. Presenting that in the ads may have prevented the film from reaching a large segment of the audience blissfully unaware of the ongoing struggles of these brave people. So if the marketeers were able to educate film goers, then that strategy is, indeed, THE GOOD LIE.

3.5 Out of 5

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Jim Batts was a contestant on the movie edition of TV's "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" in 2009 and has been a member of the St. Louis Film Critics organization since 2013.