Shadows & Lies (2010)

Best movie of this year hands down!

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

This is not a movie about crime in New York. It is not a romance, nor an action picture. It is a slow-paced film that carefully examines the ways in which our anxiety about personal survival corrupts our values, our dreams and goals, and our intimate relationships.Through the four central characters, the audience is shown various human subjects at different stages of moral corruption and psychic emptiness. There are clear correlations drawn between their existential vacuity and the actions that they willingly sign on to again and again, as the film progresses. . . . . and yet we are treated to a superb film here because three of these four central characters do seem to struggle with their decisions, with the choices that embroil them more deeply in tragic "destinies" that they construct for themselves.

This story is a drama about a man (James Franco who plays "William") whom is going to find his life in a new identity. It is also about how he is going to loose it, that is "loosing his life". The movie is being told by "William" and we are to view it in a non-chronological sequence. That make it a bit hard to understand and the viewer has to sharpen his/hers ears. Actually it opens with a scene that is going to happen in the end. We are to be enlightened by learning a letter that William wrote to a character in the play "Ann" (whom is part of a group that's being mentioned later) She reads it and then we know, but we will be hearing Willims voice. Pay attention to this letter. William will tell what happened to him, as we listen we will be watching' scenes that undertakes his experience.The other title "Shadows and Lies" are much better than "William Vincent" because it reflects on taking a new identity. A new identity could be a lie, it could be a shadow of the former identity too. At least that's what the man we are going to know is going through because he is becoming a shadow and a lie in terms of all who once knew him, is going to think he no longer exist, but he does, it's just a lie now. He is becoming a burton to himself, a lie, on which he cannot prevail. Then he dies.After he misses a plane which then crashes and leaves everyone on-board dead and incinerated, he finds himself "alive" but then chooses not to go home but continue on to a new life. He doesn't explain why but he does get a new "fake" passport identity in the back-store of a Chinese restaurant. A new name to live on. He then gets a job, but no friends?, what does he do?, he is searching but he seems like a social mishap, he no longer understand the value and seems to be playing with other people. Starts to pick-pocket just for fun, he has money, doesn't need them, he steal a telephone, then throughs it in a waste-container. He is not after that! He needs some inputs/stimuli from other people. The scene where he steals a telephone leads him on to a group that shows interest in him. They think he has skills, they want to use him, make him a part of what they do. He accepts and this new relation is all the movie is about, his identity being build up and then taking apart. Very dramatic and truth-full movie, that is - yes, society has it's dark sides.

I am going to default to the GradyHarp review that is among theses many reviews. Mostly from disappointed viewers. Grady Harp hits the ball right on all points about this Jay Anania film.This movie is for people who delve into symbolism, contemplative scenes of quiet and delicate colors and the messages humans can project with just expression and few or no words.William Vincent is obviously a person with a disturbing past that he believes he can change with his 'new identity'. Unfortunately he is the same person inside and no amount of paperwork can change that.A film lover will enjoy this movie, it's music, it's colors, it's shadows, and it's story. Great dialog, camera work, and the pacing is perfect for the persons that we see!

This is a movie that is beautiful with photography and that is the only positive thing I can say about it.This film could have been great with the cast it has. James Franco does a great job of the brooding, James Dean like character. Josh Lucas as the dark, controlling bad guy is very good. Freckled Julianne Nelson is beautiful as the femme fatale, but the director seems to be attempting to imitate a good french movie but just fails.If you like minutes long scenes of an actor's face, a room, an actor walking, you might enjoy this film. If it was condensed to a half hour drama, it might be great. Otherwise, it is not worth the time.