Busy and studly young actor Eric Balfour ("24" and "Six Feet Under") not only does full frontal in this sexually explicit drama, he shows himself erect!
Leila (Smith) is a woman coping with the divorce of her parents by engaging in a series of sexual relationships. She eventually meets an artist named David (Balfour) at a house party an the two immediately begin a heated sexual affair. Soon, they both realize their feelings may go beyond lust and for the first time in their lives they must deal with an emotional connection that challenges their beliefs in love and commitment. Based on the novel by Tamara Faith Berger.
Leila (Smith) is a woman coping with the divorce of her parents by engaging in a series of sexual relationships. She eventually meets an artist named David (Balfour) at a house party an the two immediately begin a heated sexual affair. Soon, they both realize their feelings may go beyond lust and for the first time in their lives they must deal with an emotional connection that challenges their beliefs in love and commitment. Based on the novel by Tamara Faith Berger.
An elegant yet raw study of sex, love and commitment, Lie with Me is pleasing to the eye in virtually every way, from its attractive, up-and-coming stars to the beautiful (sometimes shaky) camerawork — this is one fine, fine looking film. And that is, ultimately where the films succeeds. Regrettably, this too may be the film’s greatest liability, given that it’s quite easy to get lost in the superficial beauty and lusty happenings, and neglect the underlying narrative and weighty questions posed (even if it is as much of an after thought to the filmmaker as the audience). The graphic nature of the film is established from the start, with the two leads eventually baring it all and indulging in all sorts of sexplay.
David (Eric Balfour) and Leila (Lauren Lee Smith) are two fairly awkward yet very attractive 20-somethings whose sole focus lies in the realms of sex and carnality, yet both seem incapable of expressing (or even identifying) their true feelings. They meet to some extent at a party/nightclub, where both engage in outdoor play with someone else (she with a stranger, he with his girlfriend Polly), gazing at each other from across a parking lot. David maintains eye contact with Leila as she goes at it against a brick wall.
Sometime later, after a few chance encounters, they eventually get it on at David’s apartment. It is only after the act itself that they introduce themselves properly, telling each other their names and agreeing to going out on a date (evidently in Canada they do things a little differently). We learn that each has their individual problems at home; Leila is coping with her mother leaving her pothead dad, while gallant David must tend to his ailing, pervy father.
Eventually, jealously rears its ugly head and when hard times approach, David and Leila are painfully ill-equipped to help one another — as neither one is capable of expressing themselves beyond the physical. The inclusion of husky narration from the lovely Leila adds little to the picture, other than hammering home even further her emotional clumsiness. Lie with Me is great to look at, with its good-looking, frequently naked leads and hushed, almost dreamy sex scenes. All the same, the misplaced sentimentality and a predictably sappy and sluggish ending almost ruins any satisfaction gained from this alone… Almost.
David (Eric Balfour) and Leila (Lauren Lee Smith) are two fairly awkward yet very attractive 20-somethings whose sole focus lies in the realms of sex and carnality, yet both seem incapable of expressing (or even identifying) their true feelings. They meet to some extent at a party/nightclub, where both engage in outdoor play with someone else (she with a stranger, he with his girlfriend Polly), gazing at each other from across a parking lot. David maintains eye contact with Leila as she goes at it against a brick wall.
Sometime later, after a few chance encounters, they eventually get it on at David’s apartment. It is only after the act itself that they introduce themselves properly, telling each other their names and agreeing to going out on a date (evidently in Canada they do things a little differently). We learn that each has their individual problems at home; Leila is coping with her mother leaving her pothead dad, while gallant David must tend to his ailing, pervy father.
Eventually, jealously rears its ugly head and when hard times approach, David and Leila are painfully ill-equipped to help one another — as neither one is capable of expressing themselves beyond the physical. The inclusion of husky narration from the lovely Leila adds little to the picture, other than hammering home even further her emotional clumsiness. Lie with Me is great to look at, with its good-looking, frequently naked leads and hushed, almost dreamy sex scenes. All the same, the misplaced sentimentality and a predictably sappy and sluggish ending almost ruins any satisfaction gained from this alone… Almost.
