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Misc. Reviews

LIES AND WHISPERS

By • Apr 16th, 2000 •

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(Unapix) 1998

I have never been impressed with Gina Gershon as an actress, until this film came about. Her veteran stripper in Showgirls was more goofy than sensual (but then again, so was that entire movie!) Even in Face/Off, my favorite 1997 release, she tended to over-act.

In Lies and Whispers, she plays Lauren Graham, an American doctor visiting in Prague. She meets and falls in love with Jiri (Rade Serbedzija). What at first seems a mismatch of the well groomed, beautiful Lauren, and the scruffy street vendor-looking Jiri begins to work. We start to believe it, and enjoy it.

Lauren’s mild curiosity into genealogy takes a turn for the worst. She finds out that her grandfather lied to her about his past. He was actually a high ranking Nazi officer in World War II, responsible for the deaths of many Jews in a concentration camp. What’s worse is that one of her grandfather’s many victims was Jiri’s aunt.

We are drawn deeper into this now troubled relationship. Jiri is willing to forgive, but Lauren is too overcome with guilt. She has to contend with Jiri’s living relatives refusing to forgive, and the fact that Lauren’s links to the Nazis has garnished unfavorable media press.

Has Gina Gershon finally matured and blossomed into a neat, low-key actress? I hope so. Lauren’s discoveries about her grandfather’s past could have been marred by cheesy emoting, but Gershon handles it well. Rade Serbedzija has become one to seriously watch as an actor. His filthy costume renter in Eyes Wide Shut was the funniest bit in that whole movie.

I was expecting a love story aimed mostly at a female audience, but Lies and Whispers turned into a rather compelling yarn about a troubled relationship.

Credits:
Directed by Roger Simon
Produced by Sheryl Longin
Written by Sheryl Longin & Roger Simon

Cast:
Gina Gershon,
Rade Serbedzija,
Patricia Hodge

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