"Lies We Tell" Film Review - staring Gabriel Byrne
Bradford International Film Associates Ltd. brings it’s debut feature "Lies We Tell', written and directed by first-time filmmaker Mitu Misra, with a well-known, outstanding cast: Gabriel Byrne, Harvey Keitel, Mark Addy, Sibylla Deen, Jan Uddin and Om Puri.
'Lies We Tell' is the story of Donald (Gabriel Byrne), a trusted driver, that after his billionaire boss Demi (Harvey Keitel) dies, is forced to destroy any evidence of his boss’s mistress, Amber. Things change after Donald meets the beautiful, heartfelt Muslim mistress. Both conspire in deleting a sexy video that would ruin his boss’s family legacy and cause her death. This leads to her dark past and Donald comes face to face with her infamous gangster cousin KD. He uncovers that KD was also married to Amber, when they were merely sixteen. After being raped by him, she left both sides of the family in shame for lying to get a divorce. Trying to alleviate his own painful past, Donald embarks on a journey to help Amber liberate her sixteen year-old sister Miriam, that is now to marry KD.
The film brings in discussion several social topics predominant in these present times, such as a male dominating society, issues that involve an Islamic divorce and being forced into marriage to please their own families. In the beginning of the film when Demi discovers his wife had called, he reveals “The only Men who get caught are those who don’t love their wives enough”. One can not help but feel driven by Domenic’s character, his morals, who despite dismissing Amber at first, embarks in an unlikely friendship, protecting her and helping freeing Miriam from what would be another tragic future. Sibylla Deen plays Amber, delivering a mesmerizing performance who herself is of half-Pakistani, half-English heritage. Amber was determined to start a new life in London but stays to free her sister, in spite of risking her own life. Jan Uddin, the English actor of Bangladeshi descent, portray’s the vicious KD. We soon discover his true intentions which is to win back Amber, the only woman he wants and has loved all his life.
With a diverse score selection, classic and modern, the music compositions guide us through the emotional moments of Domenic and Amber in this touching thriller story.
Debut writer and director to keep an eye out for Mitu Misra, was born in Punjab, India and raised in Bradford, England. He has faced an incredible amount in his childhood. “I grew up facing the usual problems that first generation immigrants have faced throughout time. At school, I was beaten up regularly. If you weren’t white in England at that time, it was common to be labelled either a ‘Paki’ or a ‘Nigger’. His safe haven was being among other immigrants. In Bradford predominately there were Pakistani immigrants, so most of his friends were from Pakistan, developing family-like relationships. Growing up in a troubled neighborhood, his escape was going to the theater. Despite running out of money later on in his life, Mitu Misra started his own company, employing many with whom he grew up with. After '9/11' and London’s bombings in 2005 ('7/7'), most of his Muslim friends and colleagues showed somewhat joy of the tragic events as a justification of the “Iraq War”. He then tried to understand the whole phenomenon that were dividing Muslim and non-Muslims. He researched Islam and Hinduism, religion he was born into, trying to figure out the reasons behind his friends feelings. He was interested in writing a story about the reactions of his friends to '9/11' and '7/7' that would reach all Muslims and change their way of thinking. That’s how 'Lies We Tell' was born.
The film will certainly reach an international audience with an expected release this year.
Find more information of “Lies We Tell” @
https://www.facebook.com/lieswetellthemovie/
Film by Mitu Misra
Director: Mitu Misra
Writers: Mitu Misra (story), Ewen Glass (Screenplay), Andy McDermott (screenplay)
Cinematographer: Santosh Sivan
Producers: Andy McDermott, Malcolm Scott and Daniel Gulliver
Executive Producers: Mark Platts and Santosh Sivan
Music: Zbigniew Preisner
Cast: Gabriel Byrne, Harvey Keitel, Jan Uddin, Sibylla Deen, Mark Addy, Gina McKee, Om Puri
