White Lies

Rating:
Summary: White Lies?
Review: A surprising telefilm from 1999 that ranks as one of the better neo-Nazi dramas out there. Better because of its straight forward and even handed treatment of its controversial subject. It also happens to be very well acted. Sarah (Go) Polley is a Canadian college student who tries to retain her White identity in a global economy of immigrant hordes, affirmative action and secular morality. Angry at the smug counter-morality of Liberals, she eventually falls in with the National Identity Movement, a group that has refined itself to a militia core of White activits and neo-Nazi ideologues commited to taking Canada back by any means necessary. Intelligent and articulate, she's perfectly suited to a high profile position as spokesperson for NIM. However, the violent action from anti-racist activists make it clear that the world White Nationalism is too dangerous for her. So what does she do? Yep, she rejects her ideology and betrays her friends....I smell the contrivance of a pathetic Liberal screenwriter. For this to work, Catherine's choices must be credible and we need to understand what's making her tick. As the film nears its resolution, this becomes increasingly difficult to do. But in the end, White Lies is perhaps second only to Romper Stomper in its honest approach to White activists and their anti-racist enemies.

Rating:
Summary: white lies
Review: As usual it starts out promising but ultimately falls short. Anything dealing with racial issues in our society is always slanted against white people.Of course the hero is a white female who joins a white power group.This is unrealistic to begin with.Most white females in our society are unopinionated or out right antagonistic to white heritage/identity.The villains are nazis of course.The 3rd reich is more hated in our culture than satan and even less tolerated.Not many females would join a movement so unpopular or so unpopculture!White power groups tend to be the domain of working class white males who feel left out of society without a voice.Females are treated differently and are generally more excepted by nonwhites and therefore don't tend to gravitate toward those beliefs and/or movements.This movie has its good points but is overdone and full of exaggerated realism.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting TV-type movie
Review: I believe this is loosely based on a girl who tried to distance herself from Canada's Heritage Front in real life. A composite, perhaps, but there's no need to worry that it will be overly realistic. White activism and neo-nazism is too hot to handle--any time you catch a so-called thoughtful analysis like American History X or Romper Stomper, or this film, you know the deck will be stacked against them, ultimately. Still, 'White Lies' deserves credit for showing anti-racists as equally malicious in their fervor, although the perpetrators remain faceless. Many subtle points about the appeal of racial identity are made, and the perverse allure of Nazi regalia and the sharp fashion sense of militants is well-illustrated. While the script is definitely more televison drama than cinematic, the stylistic touches and symbolism are more in the vein of an arthouse film. I found it odd and rather daring that they would portray the token multicultural mouthpiece ('Seth Green') as an irritating, smug, condescending SOB. The terror and violence are not accurately portrayed, and the acting is strictly TV-caliber, but the style is unorthodox enough to weather the inevitable conventionality. You have to be completely uninformed to have your mind blown by this film, but it is definitely interesting. Recommended.

Rating:
Summary: A compelling film
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: white guilt all over again
Review: 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.