Search - White Lies (1998) on DVD

White guilt all over again

RW | Corona, CA | 09/27/2004

(2 out of 5 stars)

"this movie like american history x was right on the money in the start. but as always the white guilt kicks in and whitey is the evil one. so you know how its going to end. when are they going to make a movie about the evils of other hate groups, oh wait there just patted on the back for hating whitey and given money to keep expanding. thumbs down for the typical hollywood ending. why is it when the white man and woman are proud and have racial idenity they are evil and bad and must be struck down? but we constantly pat the back of those who hate the white man but love the white woman."

A compelling film

Iambic Reviewer | Toronto, Ontario Canada | 10/10/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I enjoyed this TV movie when it aired, and I was surprised and pleased to see it quickly made available on VHS. Having bought it, I was even more surprised and pleased when it later became available on DVD and promptly bought it again since the DVD has additional features. Why surprised? Because rarely do such well made, thought-provoking and feeling-provoking films become widely available. Why pleased? Because this is a film that can help to elucidate and therefore perhaps contribute to the demise of the situation that it describes. We have here only a film, but it can be a valuable tool if used appropriately and without didacticism to show young people and perhaps some older individuals as well the reality of this serious problem among us. Sarah Polley provides a depth of performance obtained from already acting for many years despite her young age at the time the film was made, and she brings a subtle but believable reality to her young character who, unfortunately, is not perhaps as rare as we might believe her to be in our society. Nothing is over played, everything speaks for itself. The rest of the cast have impressive credentials as well, and each lends a three dimensional fullness to their characters. The writer and the director, of course, are owed a huge debt of gratitude for bringing this film to fruition. However, a nagging paradox is applicable to the film: to warn against violence, one has to depict it. Therefore, parts of the film may be very disturbing for some. But, like receiving a shocking diagnosis of cancer, through this film at least we have a chance to fight the disease rather than have it consume us while we continue in blissful ignorance of its presence."