A loner befriends a local celebrity, Billy Magic, but he soon begins to tell lies in order to maintain the friendship and the newfound status.
Director:
Guy FerlandWriter:
Joe Eszterhas
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Title: Telling Lies in America (1997)
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1 win.
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Kevin Bacon | ... | Billy Magic | |
| Brad Renfro | ... | Karchy 'Chucky' Jonas | |
| Maximilian Schell | ... | Dr. Istvan Jonas | |
| Calista Flockhart | ... | Diney Majeski | |
| Tony Devon | ... | Danny Hogan | |
| Paul Dooley | ... | Father Norton | |
| Jonathan Rhys Meyers | ... | Kevin Boyle | |
| Luke Wilson | ... | Henry | |
 |
Damen Fletcher | ... | Amos 'Blood Smith' |
|
|
Jerry Swindall | ... | Andy 'Croak' Stas |
| K.K. Dodds | ... | Justine | |
|
|
James Kisicki | ... | Cecil Simms |
|
|
J.J. Horna | ... | The Blind Kid |
|
|
Ben Saypol | ... | Timmy Morelli |
| Rohn Thomas | ... | Sgt. Disapri | |
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
Karchy (Brad Renfro) is a boy in school who has moved from Hungary to America in the 1960s. He is struggling in school and trying to adjust to America's culture. He then hears about a radio DJ, Billy Magic (Kevin Bacon), who holds a contest for a Student Hall of Fame every week. When Karchy finally wins after several weeks, he spends more time with Billy Magic...a man with money, girls, and glam. Karchy thinks that, by spending time with Magic, he can become "cool". He then starts telling lies, to make himself seem greater than he really is. But when his lies begin hurting the people he cares about, he realizes that it isn't worth telling lies if it affects your friends. Afterwards, he learns to accept himself for the person he is, and gives up lying. And as for Billy Magic, it turns out that he pays his price for all the lies that he has told as well.... Written by <Aya704@hotmail.com>
Taglines:
Just don't get caught. See more »Parents Guide:
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[...]
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Performed by Little Anthony and the Imperials
Written by Robert Smith
Courtesy of Rhino Records
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products
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Did You Know?
Trivia
This was one of the first seven films, on which to be foreclosed, by the Screen Actors Guild for non-payment of wages and residuals to SAG members. On July 13, 2004, rights to the film were sold at auction. See more »Goofs
About two-thirds through the movie, when Karchy picks his girlfriend up at the store after (her) work, they walk down a handicap wheelchair ramp which didn't exist in the 1960's. See more »Quotes
Kevin Boyle: [Karchy is hidden in a confessionary pretending to be a priest] Bless me, father, for I have sinned. It's been three days since my last confession. The reason I'm here today, father... you know what it is. I just can't stop doing it. I get these thoughts and I can't keep my hands off of it. Father? Are you there, father? I know you said I was gonna go blind, father. I don't wanna go blind. Last night I did it three times. I'm doing so much that it hurts when I touch it. I wanna kill my dad again...[...]
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Connections
Featured in At the Movies: The Devil's Advocate/I Know What You Did Last Summer/Playing God/Telling Lies in America/Eye of God/Year of the Horse (1997) See more »Soundtracks
Shimmy Shimmy Ko-Ko BobPerformed by Little Anthony and the Imperials
Written by Robert Smith
Courtesy of Rhino Records
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products
See more »
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
15 October 1997 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
The Magic Man See more »Edit
Box Office
Budget:
$4,000,000 (estimated)Opening Weekend USA:
$11,470, 19 October 1997Gross USA:
$318,809Cumulative Worldwide Gross:
$318,809Company Credits
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IMDbPro »
Kevin Bacon is the best thing about this film. He can play any
type of role, barely human (Murder in the First), a small-time
crook (The River Wild) or a twisted DJ (Telling Lies in
America). Here he is believable and puts in a good performance.
Brad Renfro also does well in his role, but isn't very
convincing. Two problems.
1.) He comes from Hungary, but has no accent, and sounds like he
came from New York
2.) Age. A year before this was filmed, he co-starred in The
Cure. There he played an 11 year old, and looked too old. Here
he plays a 17 year old, and looks too young for the role.
The other highlight is Maximillian Schell (I doubt I spelled
his name right). He is fourth billed as Renfro's Hungarian
father and is dead-on. Why Joe Esterhaus (Spelling error?) is
America's top paid screenwriter will never be known. He writes
lame scripts that deserve to be thrown away, but are instead
made into big-budget movies like this one.
+ (GOOD THINGS) 1.) Kevin Bacon's performance 2.) Maximillian
Schell's performance 3.) Plot line