''Deceiver'' (UK title: ''Liar'') is a 1997 American
mystery film
A mystery film is a genre of film that revolves around the solution of a problem or a crime. It focuses on the efforts of the detective, private investigator or amateur sleuth to solve the mysterious circumstances of an issue by means of clues, i ...
directed by
Jonas Pate
Jonas James Pate (born January 15, 1970) is an American screenwriter, director and producer. He wrote and directed '' The Grave'', '' Deceiver'', '' The Take'', and directed '' Shrink''. Pate also co-created '' Good vs Evil,'' ''Surface'' and ...
and
Josh Pate
Joshua Warren Pate (born January 15, 1970) is an American screenwriter, director and producer. He wrote '' The Grave'', '' Deceiver'', and '' The Take''. Pate also co-created '' Good vs Evil'', ''Surface'', and ''Outer Banks''.
Early life
Jos ...
and starring
Tim Roth
Timothy Simon Roth (born 14 May 1961) is an English actor and producer. He began acting on films and television series in the 1980s. He was among a group of prominent British actors of the era, the " Brit Pack".
He made his television debut ...
,
Chris Penn
Christopher Shannon Penn (October 10, 1965 – January 24, 2006) was an American actor. He was the brother of actor Sean Penn and musician Michael Penn. Noted as a skilled character actor from a prominent acting dynasty, he was typically cast a ...
,
Michael Rooker
Michael Rooker (born April 6, 1955) is an American actor known for his roles as Henry in '' Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer'' (1986), Chick Gandil in ''Eight Men Out'' (1988), Frank Baily in '' Mississippi Burning'' (1988), Terry Cruger in '' ...
,
Renée Zellweger
Renée Kathleen Zellweger (; born April 25, 1969) is an American actress. The recipient of various accolades, including two Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards, she was one of the world's highest-paid ...
,
Ellen Burstyn
Ellen Burstyn (born Edna Rae Gillooly; December 7, 1932) is an American actress. Known for her portrayals of complicated women in dramas, she is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Tony Award, and two Primetime Em ...
and
Rosanna Arquette
Rosanna Lisa Arquette (; born August 10, 1959) is an American actress. She was nominated for an Emmy Award for her performance in the TV film ''The Executioner's Song'' (1982), and won the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for th ...
. It won Best Cinematography and Best Screenplay at the 1997
Stockholm Film Festival
The Stockholm International Film Festival ( sv, Stockholms filmfestival, italic=no) is an annual film festival held in Stockholm, Sweden. It was launched in 1990 and has been held every year since then during the second half of November.
The w ...
, and the Special Jury Prize at the 1998
Cognac Police Film Festival.
Plot
Textile company heir James Wayland (
Tim Roth
Timothy Simon Roth (born 14 May 1961) is an English actor and producer. He began acting on films and television series in the 1980s. He was among a group of prominent British actors of the era, the " Brit Pack".
He made his television debut ...
) is accused of murdering a prostitute named Elizabeth (
Renée Zellweger
Renée Kathleen Zellweger (; born April 25, 1969) is an American actress. The recipient of various accolades, including two Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards, she was one of the world's highest-paid ...
), whose body was found cut in two. The murder is investigated by tough detective Kennesaw (
Michael Rooker
Michael Rooker (born April 6, 1955) is an American actor known for his roles as Henry in '' Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer'' (1986), Chick Gandil in ''Eight Men Out'' (1988), Frank Baily in '' Mississippi Burning'' (1988), Terry Cruger in '' ...
) and his less experienced partner Braxton (
Chris Penn
Christopher Shannon Penn (October 10, 1965 – January 24, 2006) was an American actor. He was the brother of actor Sean Penn and musician Michael Penn. Noted as a skilled character actor from a prominent acting dynasty, he was typically cast a ...
).
Wayland is a heavy drinker and compulsive liar, prone to memory losses and periods of violence. He is rich enough to access necessary information, however, and he soon learns his interrogators' own dark secrets - Kennesaw had an affair with Elizabeth to get back at his wife (
Rosanna Arquette
Rosanna Lisa Arquette (; born August 10, 1959) is an American actress. She was nominated for an Emmy Award for her performance in the TV film ''The Executioner's Song'' (1982), and won the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for th ...
) for cheating on him, while Braxton has gambling debts with a bookie known as "Mook" (
Ellen Burstyn
Ellen Burstyn (born Edna Rae Gillooly; December 7, 1932) is an American actress. Known for her portrayals of complicated women in dramas, she is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Tony Award, and two Primetime Em ...
), who is demanding $20,000 payment.
Cast
*
Tim Roth
Timothy Simon Roth (born 14 May 1961) is an English actor and producer. He began acting on films and television series in the 1980s. He was among a group of prominent British actors of the era, the " Brit Pack".
He made his television debut ...
as James Walter Wayland
*
Chris Penn
Christopher Shannon Penn (October 10, 1965 – January 24, 2006) was an American actor. He was the brother of actor Sean Penn and musician Michael Penn. Noted as a skilled character actor from a prominent acting dynasty, he was typically cast a ...
as Detective Phillip Braxton
*
Ellen Burstyn
Ellen Burstyn (born Edna Rae Gillooly; December 7, 1932) is an American actress. Known for her portrayals of complicated women in dramas, she is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Tony Award, and two Primetime Em ...
as "Mook"
*
Renée Zellweger
Renée Kathleen Zellweger (; born April 25, 1969) is an American actress. The recipient of various accolades, including two Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards, she was one of the world's highest-paid ...
as Elizabeth
*
Michael Rooker
Michael Rooker (born April 6, 1955) is an American actor known for his roles as Henry in '' Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer'' (1986), Chick Gandil in ''Eight Men Out'' (1988), Frank Baily in '' Mississippi Burning'' (1988), Terry Cruger in '' ...
as Detective Edward Kennesaw
*
Rosanna Arquette
Rosanna Lisa Arquette (; born August 10, 1959) is an American actress. She was nominated for an Emmy Award for her performance in the TV film ''The Executioner's Song'' (1982), and won the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for th ...
as Mrs. Kennesaw
*
Michael Parks
Michael Parks (born Harry Samuel Parks; April 24, 1940 – May 9, 2017) was an American singer and actor. He appeared in many films and made frequent television appearances, notably starring in the 1969–1970 series '' Then Came Bronson'', but ...
as Dr. Banyard
*
Mark Damon
Mark Damon (born April 22, 1933) is an American film actor and producer. He became noted for roles in films like Roger Corman's ''House of Usher'', before moving to Italy and becoming a notable Western star and member of the 1960s Dolce Vita ...
as Wayland's father
Reception
The film received a mixed reaction from critics.
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
gives ''Deceiver'' a rating of 42% from 31 reviews.
[https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/deceiver]
References
External links
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1997 films
1997 crime thriller films
1990s mystery films
1990s psychological thriller films
American mystery films
American crime thriller films
American nonlinear narrative films
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films
Films scored by Harry Gregson-Williams
1990s English-language films
Films directed by Jonas Pate
1990s American films
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