L.I.E.
2001
Director : Michael Cuesta
Starring : Paul Dano, Brian Cox, Bruce Altman, Billy Kay
The Long Island Expressway, concurrently a thoroughfare of despair, opportunity and a proverbial road to nowhere. It’s one of the many underlying themes in this 2001 inaugural effort from director Michael Cuesta. The subject matter initially was qualified as unconventional, even taboo for some, earning it the NC-17 stamp from the MPAA.
The young protagonist, Howie (Dano, in a remarkable turn), feels his life unraveling as an adolescent even before he has a chance to fuck it up himself. His mother has recently passed, a victim of the titular roadway in a horrific auto accident (similar to Harry Chapin and Alan Pakula, as noted by Howie). Left with his philandering and unscrupulous old man (Altman), the young lead pisses his days away with friends bent on hustling, stealing and incestuous relationships. A promise of escaping to California with Gary (Kay), his sexually ambiguous best mate, prompts a proposed heist of gear from neighborhood pederast ‘Big John’ (Cox).
All goes well as they procure antique pistols designed to finance the jaunt west, until John catches the scants mid-crime, clutching a piece of Howie’s clothing as they flee. After John shakes down Gary, a former member in his stable of willing teenage victims, Howie is confronted. Befriended by John, speaking French, claiming ties to his late mother, another victim is seemingly acquired. After discussing reparations the two embark on a haunting collaboration involving the desire of sexual favors for John, and the desire of acceptance and safety for Howie.
The tenor of the union between the two changes, and takes on a dynamic of father/son, or protector/protected. There’s an evolution that suggests ‘Big John’ is not the disgusting sex offender he’s reputed as. As other aspects of Howie’s life deteriorate, Dad is hauled off to prison for embezzlement, Gary makes tracks for California sans best friend after robbing Howie’s dad, John emerges as the only constant. He cares and nurtures, concealing his ache to defile this boy. Scotty, the live-in boy buffet for John, clearly sees it, and tries his best to completely creep Howie out and hopefully scare him off. It doesn’t work and a completely strange sense of normalcy is achieved. Until Scotty re-emerges, gunning down John as he, the ultimate chickenhawk, preys for more willing participants in his sexual deviancy at a rest stop on the, you guessed it, L.I.E.
Howie is abandoned again, mired in uncertainty. Sexually confused, overall befuddled, lost and alone staring out and over this bastard road that adversely affects his existence.
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-undergrounddiscs.com
03 Mar 2007
