Steeped in the hipster glow of Slamdance recognition (the ultimate in truly indie street cred), The Four-Faced Liar is a romantic comedy/drama for the gen Y crowd. Writer Marja Lewis Ryan adapted her own play for the screen, co-produced, and stars in the film, which features a lesbian romance at the center of its examination of 20-something relationships.
We begin with introductions all around. Trip (Todd Kubrak) is a cool, New Jersey-bred literature major that lives in a fabulously grungy New York City apartment with Bridget (Marja Lewis Ryan), an equally cool, womanizing lesbian with a real thing for Emily Bronte. In fact, we meet our heroine as she sits on a toilet, smoking a cigarette, a copy of Wuthering Heights in hand.
Along with Trip’s girlfriend Chloe (Liz Osborn), they meet a small town couple – Greg (Daniel Carlise) and Molly (Emily Peck, a dead ringer for Scarlett Johansson) at their favorite local dive, The Four Faced Liar. Greg is a buttoned-up boy-next door type who’s followed Molly out to the big city. Molly’s an equally buttoned-up lit major, though she has a curious streak that comes into play very quickly.
Greg and Trip hit it off (sadly, in a totally heterosexual way) and become best buddies, bonding over videogames and sports and such. Molly and Bridget also get along well, forging a friendship over Wuthering Heights and study sessions that soon begin to drip with sexual tension.
Molly complains about how boring and predictable Greg is, all the while making hilariously transparent (to all but Molly) passes at Bridget. Meanwhile, Greg continues to be boring, and Trip alternates between being boyfriend of the year and ignoring poor Chloe.
Everything hits the fan when Molly and Bridget’s relationship starts to heat up (and Trip cheats on his way-too-good-for-him girlfriend), causing a massive rift among the friends. Dramatic twists and turns dominate the movie’s final third, which realistically does not end with everything wrapped up in a perfect little package. Life is messy, and so are Four-Faced Liar’s young protagonists.
While the push and pull between Trip and Chloe is well done (and provides some of the biggest laughs, like when Trip pulls out an impromptu ballet routine to apologize for missing a performance), the real substance of the story is in Bridget and Molly’s not-so-platonic friendship.
The pair go from casual friends (their first conversation entails Bridget naming her conquests after days of the week, while Molly stands by, nearly dumbfounded), to lovers over the span of a fall semester. It’s familiar territory for lesbian relationships in film (the curious straight woman and the experienced lesbian “player”), but it’s done well, with an honest tone.
The script is tight, and the drama feels raw and real, thanks to excellent performances from each lead and spot-on pacing.
Bridget is at the emotional heart of the film, and thankfully, she’s an immensely likeable character. She’s unpretentious and cute, with a smart, mildly snarky personality that shines above her obvious fear of commitment. Like a bookish Shane (of The L Word), complete with a toothbrush, endless packs of smokes and a collection of shaggy sweatshirts, she sleeps with every other girl on the block, but somehow manages to fall for the cute straight girl.
As the writer and the performer behind the character, Marja Lewis Ryan imbues a fantastic sense of quarter-life confusion into Bridget’s confidence, making her as down-to-earth as she is fun to watch.
Molly works well as Bridget’s love interest – she’s the girl that came out of nowhere (almost literally). Unsure of whom she really is (and what that means for her romantic partners), Peck brings her to life with a great deal of gravity, avoiding the flighty stereotypes often associated with this sort of character. While Trip is funny and seems like the sort of guy everyone wants to have a beer with, his frisky behavior lands him (rightfully) in the doghouse. He comes off as a confused, potentially spoiled young guy who has no real idea of what he wants until he messes up. Chloe is a fantastic character – she’s as sassy and funny as our primary roommates, with a touch more class and integrity. It’s a shame Osborn doesn’t get quite as much screen time as she deserves.
Greg is much less appealing, though Carlise certainly does an admirable job. While he’s very sweet, (almost to the point of being obnoxious), and Molly is wrong to go behind his back, he’s just a befuddled small-town boy who’s in way over his head. It doesn’t help that his conservative attitudes manifest as subtle (and eventually, very blatant) homophobia towards Bridget. While the script does feel like it began its life as a play (generally revolving around 5 people in a room, Chekov-style), the music, energy, solid locations (it was actually shot in NYC) and excellent editing all help to give the production a polished feel. Director Jacob Chase deserves a great deal of credit for putting it all together with grace and style to spare.
The only major complaint concerns the age of the characters. Everyone is supposedly a college student, but each character looks and behaves more like someone in their mid-to-late 20s. This was downplayed in all of the promotional materials, but it’s pretty clear in the script that no one is supposed to be older than 21 or 22.
Likewise, the film is aimed straight at a 20-to-30-something audience. The music, fashion and general mood is hip and a little “twee,” which some viewers may find cloying. Haters of skinny jeans and flannel shirts may want to steer clear.
That’s a mild quibble, however, and certainly doesn’t detract from what is a thoroughly enjoyable, often unconventional movie.
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