Movie Review The Hoax

The Hoax (2007) 

Directed by Lasse Hallstrom 

Written by William Wheeler

Starring Richard Gere, Alfred Molina, Marcia Gay Harden, Hope Davis, Julie Delpy, Stanley Tucci 

Release Date April 6th, 2007

Published April 8th, 2007 

A biography of a man famous for a fake biography, what an inspired idea. No doubt the great Clifford Irving chuckles at the thought. The man who made his name by inventing, from public record and his fabulously tricky mind, a biography of Howard Hughes, must chuckle endlessly at how his famed hoax has made him a real celebrity.

This multi-million dollar hoax that engulfed his closest friend and his wife, landing all of them in jail, is now the security blanket of his fame and fortune. It could not have turned out more fortuitous unless he had managed to skip the 14 months he spent in federal prison. This grand illusion he spun into a million dollar book deal has, since sending him to prison, allowed him to become an honest bestseller.

The scam has now led Irving to have his life's greatest and most fantastic achievement portrayed in a film, The Hoax, in which he is played with gumption and a touch of crazy by Richard Gere. Directed by Lasse Hallstrom, the film takes a few minor liberties with the true story; but I'm sure Clifford Irving won't mind.

In the spring of 1970 Clifford Irving, a bestselling novelist and biographer, found himself with a book no one would publish. His latest novel, though praised as a work of angry humor, has just been declined by his long time publisher McGraw Hill and even his friend and editor Andrea Tate (Hope Davis) seems ready to write him.

The desperate moment leads to the invention of a story so fantastic that only master storytellers and con-man like Clifford Irving could come up with it. Bursting into Tate's office he declares that he has the story of the century and he is putting it up to the highest bidder. That story becomes the auto-biography of Howard Hughes, and the highest bidder is McGraw Hill, because there were no other bidders. There really was no book.

Teaming with his best friend and fellow author Richard Suskind (Alfred Molina), Clifford plans to take advantage of the eccentric millionaires current status as a reclusive nutjob, alleged to be hiding out in empty hotels, terrified of germs and slowly deteriorating, on the theory that the crazed Hughes won't come after them for fear of having reveal himself in public.

Together, and with the help of Clifford's wife Edith (Marcia Gay Harden), Clifford and Richard will craft the Hughes story from public records, interviews with friends and associates and fantasy tales of Hughes interviews conducted by Clifford himself to create this unusual and unlikely narrative. They will get the publisher to advance them hundreds of thousands of dollars and take advantage of Swiss banks to launder the money. The plan is foolproof... to Clifford anyway.

Little did the flim flam man and his partners realize just how big this story was. How this story would not only affect the frail but feisty Mr. Hughes but also the President of the United States Richard M. Nixon and, allegedly, change the face of history.

Directed by Lasse Hallstrom, The Hoax is a welcome departure from the directors usual brand of cloying uplift. Hallstrom's films, The Cider House Rules, Chocalat and The Shipping News are brutal exercises in sickly sweet life lessons. Overly precious with a complete lack of self awareness, these films show a director whose mind is on tugging heartstrings, not making a truly heartfelt film.

The Hoax is a completely different film. Gone is any attempt at uplift. Where there was no self awareness, there is now a light hearted wink and a nod. There is sincere humor in the storytelling and direction of The Hoax which delights in conspiring with Irving to pull off his hoax while presenting an unvarnished look at who this guy was. Clifford Irving was a man incapable of the truth, a literally physical aversion to telling a true story. The Hoax, through the playful, heartfelt performance of Richard Gere nails just who Clifford Irving had to be to attempt; and nearly pulls off; one of the greatest cons in history.

Casting a movie is an art form that is highly underappreciated. The wrong actor in a role can destroy any script; no matter how good that script really is. The Hoax could not be anymore perfectly cast. Richard Gere delivers the single most satisfying performance of his long and illustrious career. In recent years the man once called 'the sexiest man alive' has made a living with sullen, wooden characters in cut rate mainstream program pictures.

There have been good performances, I really liked his wronged husband in Unfaithful, but it seemed the charm was waning and that Gere was restless and bored. The Hoax finds Richard Gere rejuvenated, full of life and bursting with the kind of charisma that made him a star decades ago. His Clifford Irving is an astonishing work of guts and wit and the kind of charm that only the best actors can communicate. This is a first rate performance worthy of Gere's first serious consideration for an Oscar.

The supporting cast is equally sensational. Alfred Molina, as Clifford's best friend, crafts a schlubby, lovable lost soul who would be easily enthralled by someone like Clifford Irving. A talented writer in his own right, Suskind was drawn into this web of lies of his own will but Molina conveys beautifully the longing for glory, even the reflected kind, that likely drew Suskind to Irving.

Hope Davis is tough as nails with just the right touch of naiveté as Irving's editor while Oscar winner Marcia Gay Harden provides the emotional center of Irving's life as his ex-wife. Stanley Tucci, Zeljko Ivanek and Eli Wallach each deliver spot on supporting work in cameos that serve to deepen what is an already strong cast.

2007 has been a strong year already with movies like Zodiac, Smokin' Aces and Breach setting a very strong tone. Now comes The Hoax and it is the best of the bunch. Smart, funny, and brilliantly constructed, The Hoax delivers on the best work of director Lasse Hallstrom and actor Richard Gere, really, in their entire careers.

A truly engaging and sensational piece of work, The Hoax is a movie that you absolutely must see.