L.I.E. (2001)

A 15-year-old Long Island boy loses everything and everyone he knows, soon becoming involved in a relationship with a much older man.

Director:

Michael Cuesta

Writers:

Stephen M. Ryder, Michael Cuesta,

Stars:

Paul Dano, Bruce Altman, Billy Kay

22 wins & 16 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Paul Dano	...	Howie Blitzer (as Paul Franklin Dano)
Bruce Altman	...	Marty Blitzer
Billy Kay	...	Gary
James Costa	...	Kevin Cole
Tony Michael Donnelly	...	Brian (as Tony Donnelly)
Michelle Carano	...	Newscaster
Tatiana Burgos	...	Marty's Girlfriend
Brian Cox	...	Big John Harrigan
B. Constance Barry	...	Anne Harrigan
Walter Masterson	...	Scott
Brad Silnutzer	...	Henry
Bob Gerardi	...	Clifford
Adam LeFevre	...	Elliot
Frank Rivers	...	Man with Pizza (as Frank G. Rivers)
Anthony F. Peragine	...	Tough Kid #1

Storyline

Fifteen-year-old Howie loses just about everything and everyone in the space of a single week, but ends up finding himself in the process. His mother has just died. His father, a building contractor, can barely keep tabs on his young girlfriend, let alone his own son. Thusly, the teen must navigate his adolescence virtually unsupervised. Floating towards an ill-behaved existence, Howie and his crowd begin robbing houses in the middle-class neighborhoods off the Long Island Expressway. Together, he and his best friend Gary break into a place belonging to an old guy named Big John, a local man who is a respected pillar of the community. When Big John fingers Gary for the crime, Howie learns that his pal has been leading a secret, dangerous but also alluring double life. Subsequently, we also discover that Big John has secrets of his own.

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Plot Keywords:

building contractor | friend | gay | truant | death | 

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Taglines:

On the Long Island Expressway there are lanes going east, lanes going west, and lanes going straight to hell.

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated NC-17 for some explicit sexual content

Details

Official Sites:

LOT 47 Films

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 November 2002 (UK)

Also Known As:

L.I.E. - Sem Saída

Filming Locations:

217 Broadway, Amityville, Long Island, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$700,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$82,530 (USA) (7 September 2001)

Gross:

$1,141,829 (USA) (22 February 2002)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alter Ego Entertainment, Belladonna Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Marty and Howie address is 20, Randolph Drive and their phone number is 631-405-0377. (in the scene where Gary breaks in).

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Goofs

The second black eye that Howie receives disappears and reappears from shot to shot. It is absent in the scene in which Howie and Big John shave; however, it is present in several scenes beforehand and afterward.

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Quotes

Big John Harrigan: [Talking with Howie about Gary] You must be the only guy on Long Island who hasn't fucked him. Such a slut. The only thing that hasn't been used on him is his brain.

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Connections

References Casablanca (1942)

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Soundtracks

"Hurdy Gurdy Man"
Written and Performed by Donovan (as Donovan Leitch)
Published by Peer Music International (BMI)

User Reviews

"Mouth dropping"

I think that's the adjectivian phrase that i'm looking for to describe my reaction to this film. From the opening film scene to the abrupt end my eyes were like saucers as my head often shook side to side as if to say no. As a shrink who deals with children, this is an excellent examination of how many times there are no easy solutions and good kids can easily find themselves in bad straits. This is the best movie that I have seen in the past 3 years, which is quite a compliment since I attend movies regularly. I've warned fellow movie buffs of the strong content while suggesting that they look beyond that to examine what they think about the films commentary on teens developing their identities as they seek to enter into adulthood.