The Hoax
Director: Lasse Hallström. Screenplay: William Wheeler, based on Clifford Irving’s book. Cinematography: Oliver Stapleton. Film editing: Andrew Mondshein. Production design: Mark Ricker. Music: Carter Burwell. Producers: Betsy Beers, Mark Gordon, Leslie Holleran, Joshua D. Maurer, Bob Yari. With: Richard Gere, Alfred Molina, Hope Davis, Marcia Gay Harden, Julie Delpy, Eli Wallach, Stanley Tucci, David Aaron Baker, Stuart Margolin, Zeljko Ivanek, John Bedford Lloyd, John Carter, Christopher Evan Welch, Peter McRobbie, Okwui Okpokwasili. USA. 115 min. 2006.
You may remember the real-life hoax Irving pulled off in the 1970s, convincing a top-of-the-line publisher that he was collaborating with Howard Hughes on the billionaire’s autobiography, even though he’d never met, spoken to, or laid eyes on the fabulously wealthy weirdo. But you’ll enjoy this imaginative, energetic comedy-drama even if you’ve never heard of these folks, thanks to Hallström’s surprisingly smart filmmaking, Gere’s pitch-perfect portrayal of Irving, and a sensational supporting cast headed by the great Molina as a friend who tries to be Irving’s conscience but becomes his reluctant partner in crime. Even if you’re familiar with this material, did you know Irving’s fraud had a strong connection with the notorious Watergate scandal that brought President Richard M. Nixon to his well-deserved downfall? The movie tells all. Not to be missed. – David Sterritt
*
The Host
Director: Bong Joon-ho. Screenplay: Baek Chul-hyun, Bong Joon-ho, Ha Jun-won. Cinematography: Kim Hyung-ku. Film editing: Kim Seon Min. Production design: Ryu Seong-hie. Music: Lee Byung-woo. Producer: Choi Yong-bae, Scott Wilson. With: Song Kang-ho, Byeon Hie-bong, Park Hae-il, Bae Du-na, Ko Ah-sung. South Korea. In English/Korean. 119 min. Original title: Gwoemul. 2006.
A monster emerges from the Han River in Seoul, terrorizing the locals and transforming the lives of a small-time businessman and his mildly dysfunctional family. Some viewers are thrilled by the picture’s offbeat blend of horror, comedy, and melodrama, and others applaud its environmentalist message, which consists mainly in its suggestion that the mutant was spawned with an assist from chemical pollution. The movie’s problem is that it’s not offbeat enough to offset the been-there-done-that quality of its well-worn thriller material. Its wildly excessive two-hour running time is scarier than anything on the screen. – David Sterritt
