by Jon Martinsen

Created on: November 01, 2007

Most of the time when you think back of your fellow students in the classroom, you may think of the brightest student who always seemed prepared for anything and looks flawless in comparison because you have no clue what their secret is. Other times you have those who usually fall in second place because they are usually more disorganized than others and use lying as a tool in order to maintain their professional appearance. The latter characteristic describes Clifford Irving in Lasse Hallstrom's "The Hoax." Irving is played by Richard Gere in a performance that suggests (As he displayed in the underrated 2005 melodrama "Bee Season") a long-awaited Oscar nomination for a prolific Hollywood actor in recent history that has had his fair share of moments.

In debt to many Hollywood melodramas from the past to present, "The Hoax" has its intriguing opening scene but then flashes back before the action leads up to the climax: In this case, we see all the employees at MacGraw Hill Publishing Company getting ready for what appears to be the arrival of Howard Hughes, a notorious recluse who hasn't been anywhere near the limelight for presumably over a decade. After the opening credits, we see Irving look into the sky if he was on top of the world but has nobody to share it with. "The Hoax" doesn't care to intervene with his (or other characters') psychological attributes, but intentionally rushes to its day-to-day moments as displayed through meetings, phone calls, gathering the paper, and trying to relax at home.
Set mostly in 1971 New York, "The Hoax" takes place at a time when most of these characters were too old for '60s idealism but could have been a part of what looks like the beginning of '70s commerce, and yes, Watergate paranoia before Watergate was even put in the National newspaper. None of these historical elements are spelled out for us, but "The Hoax" does imply that like most of us today, we are living through history and paying attention to anything of possible significance. The plot: Clifford Irving tries to come up with something he and his company can publish. Out of ideas and full of desperation, Irving thinks he can publish an autobiography on Howard Hughes. The company wonders whether this could be true and Irving must do more than lie when he enlists Dick Suskind (Alfred Molina), a wimpy, but quiet enough (Whenever he's not sharing his personal experiences with meeting Howard Hughes)handyman that gives he and Irving the opportunity to travel

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