White Lie

Originally called Baldy, this movie is all about Katie Arneson (Kacey Rohl from The Magicians and Arrow), who has become a poster girl on her campus as she continues to attend classes despite fighting what seems to be a losing battle with cancer. Despite this diagnosis, she remains a popular undergrad with a close-knit group of friends and a fulfilling relationship with her partner Jennifer (Amber Anderson, Emma). There's only one problem. She doesn't have cancer. Written and directed by Yonah Lewis and Calvin Thomas, this is a fearless movie that presents a character that we should, by all right, absolutely hate. Yet by the time we see how Katie has used sympathy and fame to gain everything she wants - while giving up on her family, with a father who remembers how she got away from school in the wake of her mother's suicide by faking another sickness - at the cost of everyone who has fallen in love with her. From the description, I didn't think that this was a movie that would engage me for as long as it did. I'm happy to report that this was better than expectation and urge you to seek it out and watch it for yourself.

source: White Lie

The story itself was pretty good. Kept me interested throughout. I just hate when a movie has no solid ending. This was one of those movies.

Originally called Baldy, this movie is all about Katie Arneson (Kacey Rohl from The Magicians and Arrow), who has become a poster girl on her campus as she continues to attend classes despite fighting what seems to be a losing battle with cancer. Despite this diagnosis, she remains a popular undergrad with a close-knit group of friends and a fulfilling relationship with her partner Jennifer (Amber Anderson, Emma). There's only one problem. She doesn't have cancer. Written and directed by Yonah Lewis and Calvin Thomas, this is a fearless movie that presents a character that we should, by all right, absolutely hate. Yet by the time we see how Katie has used sympathy and fame to gain everything she wants - while giving up on her family, with a father who remembers how she got away from school in the wake of her mother's suicide by faking another sickness - at the cost of everyone who has fallen in love with her. From the description, I didn't think that this was a movie that would engage me for as long as it did. I'm happy to report that this was better than expectation and urge you to seek it out and watch it for yourself.

Kacey Rohl's performance is as good as acting gets. But the story is just a series of events in which Katie's lie is about to be exposed, and she struggles to keep it hidden. It doesn't build, the characters don't learn, and there's no payoff. I understand the filmmakers are trying to be real, and this is a serious and well-made film, but I can't imagine anyone enjoying it.

There's so much out there masquerading as "film" or "TV" these days that it's refreshing to witness the great talent of Canadian filmmakers like Yonah Lewis and Calvin Thomas...even if it's on the small screen. They both have a keen knack for storytelling and their cinematic intuition right on the money. WHITE LIE does a great job of upping the ante every step of the way. The tension keeps building to a point where you're wondering what will finally happen to Katie? This is a simple but engaging story that really speaks to this generation's social turmoil. I really enjoyed this a lot. It's certainly worth watching, especially if you're a cinephile.

IN A NUTSHELL: The film, which was originally entitled Baldy, stars up-and-comer Kacey Rohl (Hannibal ) as a lesbian who fakes a cancer diagnosis for financial gain and her struggle to maintain her fabrication. The feature was written and directed by Toronto-based Amy George and The Ox-Bow Incident duo Calvin Thomas and Yonah Lewis. Let's talk about the definition of a white lie: a harmless lie that is usually told to avoid hurting someone's feelings. What happens in this psychological thriller is most definitely not a white lie. TIPS FOR PARENTS: Two lesbians kiss and snuggle in bed. You see skin and one of them topless Profanity including F-bombs Drug use Criminal behavior THEMES: Truth Trust Scams and crime It's so much easier to just work for your money in an honest way. Selfishness Mental illness Overcoming past traumas Buying someone's silence The power of social media Choice and consequence Relationships and how our actions affect other people The things we do for acceptance and love THINGS I LIKED: Featuring Toronto International Film Festival rising star Kacey Rohl who does a fantastic job, especially her performance at the 1 hour, 25 minutes mark. We're sure to see a lot more of her. Other talented cast members include Martin Donovan (Tenet, Big Little Lies Seasons 1-2 Twin pack (DVD)), Connor Jessup, and Amber Anderson. I really liked the framing of some of the shots and the cinematography by Christopher Lew. The musical score was...interesting. It was amusing to hear what Lev Lewis was going to do next. The film does a very good job getting you to ask yourself how much you trust your ability to read people, discover what's true, and trust the stories others tell you. Viewers will vacillate between being disgusted by the protagonist and feeling sorry for her mental state. THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE: It's really hard to feel sympathy for someone who is so dishonest and takes advantage of other people's generosity and kindness. It's truly terrifying to think that there are that many people out there who would be willing to falsify records in order to allow such a dishonest person to continue the fraud. It's shocking how little research the protagonist did on cancer before telling everyone she had it. The ambivalent ending is a jolt that will leave you thinking about the film for a while. There really isn't any humor. It's pure drama. You can see my full review at my Movie Review Mom YouTube channel and website.

Mark Twain once said, "If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything." The truth may hurt, and it may not be as glamorous as a lie, but at least it's honest. And the truth will keep us out of more trouble than we already find ourselves in. By the time we meet our protagonist, Katie (Kacie Rohl), she is well past that point. As the camera zooms in, we see her shaving her head. In the next scene, Katie is participating in a fundraiser for her cancer treatments. The audience still is not completely knowledgeable about whether she actually has cancer or not. But the thought has already been planted that perhaps she is not quite telling the truth. Within the first five minutes, the basic plot structure has been set in place. Katie is a college student and dancer who is faking cancer to raise money. The next hour and a half, we follow Katie as she goes from one meeting to another trying to keep her lie from imploding. The audience sees the depths she is willing to go through to continue her façade. Katie is in over her head and does not know how to come back from the trap that she finds herself in. One does question whether she wants to come back. The audience is left wondering if she likes the game. The movie is unsettling, as we watch Katie use and manipulate many people in her life to maintain her lie. The question that lingers as the viewer watches her twist her way out of each predicament, is whether it's worth it. What would happen if she just came clean? Katie is constantly having to remember details of what she has said and what she is doing. The audience is left with a feeling of exhaustion at her desperation. We really want to see her lie be found out. If nothing else just for relief. The filmmaking is well done with great camera shots and fantastic dialogue. Kacey Rohl's performance as Katie, is subtle and yet she can portray a character that the viewer pities.

Literally was on the edge of my seat the entire time!!!! I love love love this movie.

Has no story line ,,no start no finish,,just big drama whit no point and direction ! Boring.