L.I.E.

L.I.E.
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Michael Cuesta
Produced by	Linda Moran Rene Bastian Michael Cuesta
Written by	Stephen M. Ryder Michael Cuesta Gerald Cuesta
Starring	Brian Cox Paul Dano Billy Kay Bruce Altman James Costa Tony Donnelly Walter Masterson Marcia Debonis Adam Lefevre
Distributed by	New Yorker Films
Release date(s)	January 20, 2001
Running time	Rated cut 97 min. Unrated cut 108 min.
Country	USA
Language	English
Budget	$700,000
Gross revenue	$1,667,192

L.I.E. is a 2001 independent film about a relationship between Howie, a 15-year-old boy, and a pederast known as 'Big John'. The title is an acronym for the Long Island Expressway. The film was directed by Michael Cuesta who has said that the film is about exploring sexuality.^[1]. It stars Paul Dano as Howie and Brian Cox as Big John.

Plot

Howie Blitzer (Paul Dano) is deeply affected by the death of his mother in a car accident on the Long Island Expressway, a situation made worse by his relationship with his distant father (Bruce Altman), who brought a bimbo into the house less than a month after his wife's death. Howie's only solace is the company of his best friend Gary Terrio (Billy Kay), a juvenile delinquent and hustler. Gary is attracted to Howie, but Howie is unsure of his own sexuality. They have two other friends their age, one of whom, Kevin (James Costa), has an incestuous relationship with his sister. The four boys routinely break into neighborhood houses.

One night, they break into the house of Big John Harrigan (Brian Cox) during his birthday party. Gary knows his way around the house and it it is later revealed that he used to have a sexual relationship with Big John. Big John discovers them, ripping a pocket off Howie's pants as they escape with a pair of valuable World War II pistols.

John confronts Gary over the burglary and Gary names Howie as his accomplice. John is manipulative in his pursuit and grooming of Howie. He approaches the boy at a diner, speaking French because he knows the boy speaks the language, and pretending that he knew his mother. He offers the boy a ride home and Howie is impressed that Big John happens to drive Howie's dream car. Once he has gained Howie's trust, however, he pulls out the torn pocket and demands that Howie return the guns. Howie gets only one gun back from Gary's room, and returns it. John wants $1000 compensation for the other gun and Howie offers to work for him to pay off the debt. John puts on a pornographic video showing heterosexual oral sex, then sits down beside Howie. He starts to stroke the boy's thigh and says, "What have you got that's worth a thousand dollars?" He continues talking about sexual topics, but Howie does not respond to his advances. John has a 19-year-old live-in lover named Scott (Walter Masterson) who says to John as Howie leaves, "You should be ashamed of yourself." John responds, "I am. I am. I always am." When he returns home, Howie masturbates to a fantasy involving both John and the girl in the video. Gary then steals money from Howie's father and disappears to Los Angeles. This abandonment affects Howie and his confusion over his sexual identity worsens.

John and Howie begin a tenuous friendship in which John becomes a kind of father figure to the boy. There is no sexual activity, but there is talk of sex. Howie realizes that he wields sexual power over John, something John is all too aware of. Howie stays over at John's house and John asks Scott to go and stay in a motel for a few nights. Howie wanders round the house and discovers a stash of child pornography. Some are pictures of a younger Gary and others are of a blond 11-year-old boy, confirming that John is a pedophile. Scott comes into the room and warns Howie not to take John from him.

Meanwhile, Howie's father, whose fraudulent construction practices are unraveling, happens to see Howie playing hooky from school. He loses his temper and hits the boy. That same day, he is arrested for installing cheap wiring, and when Howie returns home to find him missing, believes his father has abandoned him. Later that evening he comes into John's bedroom wearing just his underpants, expecting John to sleep with him. But when John tells Howie his father didn't abandon him, but is in jail, Howie breaks down and cries. John leaves him to sleep by himself.

The next morning, John is all charm, fixing Howie breakfast and taking him to see his father in jail. Howie's father apologizes for hitting him, and promises to spend more time with him once he is out of prison. Howie is not unconvinced, and merely tells his father never to hit him again.

After dropping Howie off, John returns to the local rest area where young hustlers wait for chickenhawks, and sits in his car. Scott, devastated by John's abandonment of him, drives by and shoots him dead.

In the final scene, Howie contemplates the expressway, vowing he won't let it get him too.

Cast

• Paul Dano as Howie Blitzer
• Bruce Altman as Marty Blitzer
• Billy Kay as Gary Terrio
• James Costa as Kevin Cole
• Brian Cox as Big John Harrigan
• Walter Masterson as Scott

Production

Portions of this movie were filmed at Harborfields High School, located in Greenlawn, New York, not far from the Long Island Expressway.

Dano's mother plays the non-speaking role of Howie's deceased mother, Sylvia Blitzer, in several flashback and dream sequences. Due to the controversial nature of the film, she, or another guardian, was always on set.^{[citation needed]}

Themes

Sexual identity is a major theme in the film; Michael Cuesta has said that the ambiguity of Howie's sexual orientation and his relationship with Big John and Gary is at the heart of the film.^[1]

Brian Cox has said, "Big John realizes that Howie is much more than a little boy, a young boy he can hit on".^[2] Cuesta has said that John is confused, and doesn’t know if he wanted "to be with him, sexually, or just father him".^[1]

NC-17 rating

L.I.E. received an NC-17 rating from the MPAA, although the rating was later surrendered and the film was released without a rating. Both an edited version which received an R rating ("for strong sexual content involving teens, language and brief violence") and the original unrated/uncut film are available on DVD.

Awards and Nomination

Wins

• Independent Spirit Award
  • Best Debut Performance – Paul Dano
  • Producers Award – Rene Bastn, Linda Moran, and Michael Cuesta

• Satellite Awards
  • Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama (Brian Cox)

Nominees
Independent Spirit Award
Best Lead Actor - Brian Cox
Best Supporting Lead - Billy Kay
Best First Screenplay - Stephen Ryder, Michael Cuesta, and Gerald Cuesta
Best Director - Michael Cuesta
Best Feature - Rene Bastin, Linda Moran, and Michael Cuesta

AFI Awards
AFI Featured Actor of the Year - Male - Movies Brian Cox

See also

• List of films portraying paedophilia or sexual abuse of minors

References

External links

• L.I.E. at the Internet Movie Database
• L.I.E. at Allmovie
• L.I.E. at Box Office Mojo
• L.I.E. at interrogation reports