Seen: April 14th, 2007
Format: DVD
Rating: 7
First impressions are important. That's too bad some times, but it seems inescapable. It's true with films as well as people, and Sleeping Dogs Lie does nothing if not deliver a memorable first impression.
It starts out with a bang. The entire premise is laid bare via narrative in the first few minutes. It's a doozy, and my first response was "where can this go from here"? The answer is "lots of places".
Basically the film revolves around a personal secret. It's an unusual one. Disgusting to some. Shameful to others. But ultimately, it's a secret without real consequence. No one was harmed by it, no one killed, maimed, scarred for life.
But the secret itself takes on a much larger life than the act itself. The fact that it's a secret is ultimately the problem. People want to know secrets. They don't like being left out, especially when it involves the ones they love. It seems that there are secrets we are better off just not knowing and it takes good judgement to decide which to share, which to keep, which to seek and which to let lie as they may.
This is a sweet film. The characters are mostly likeable if not lovable. It's quirky too, both in its premise and delivery. The dialogue is sparse, simple and real. The scenarios are accesible. It's a true film about real people, simple in its delivery and execution. It's rather amazing the impact that a secret has on everyone involved.
The production value aren't high, but that's not a problem as its the story that drives this piece. It was written and directed by Bobcat Goldthwait, which may make up your mind for you. It was evidently shot guerilla style on a very low budget.
If you've got an open mind, give this one a shot.
The Good: Love, in all its forms
The Bad: The unrelenting quest for Truth
The Ugly: The Truth
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