We live in a world where the tendency to empathize with the suffering of others is on the rise, which ultimately benefits us all. Likewise, in the contemporary zeitgeist, the implications of our actions have greater repercussions on the society around us. But what happens when an unscrupulous person takes advantage of this social trend for their own benefit? It is precisely this question that White Lie explores.
This film, directed by Yonah Lewis and Calvin Thomas, introduces us to the life of Katie Arneson (Kacey Rohl). She has been lying to the people around her for quite some time, claiming to be a cancer victim caused by melanoma. Said deception has allowed her to take advantage of the unconditional support (both financial and emotional) provided by her peers and her university. Nonetheless, dishonesty only gets a person so far.
After starting a race against time to obtain a fraudulent medical certificate that would grant her access to a university bursary, the facade she has been building seems to be slowly crumbling. Hence, Katie’s intense fear of impending public outrage drives her to manipulate her loved ones, including her father (Martin Donovan) and her girlfriend, Jennifer (Amber Anderson). Starting off this sudden incident, White Lie chronicles the events that lead Katie into the lion’s den in a graceful and aesthetically mature way.
The stylistic aspects, although subtle, are the ones that stand out the most. If we start by talking about the film’s outstanding use of cinematography, we can see that it makes great use of colour and lighting to convey the protagonist’s state of mind to the viewer. For those who have not yet seen the film, it is vital to pay attention to the way the colour white is used in scenes to represent moments of stress, anxiety, and emotional concern that Katie goes through throughout the film. At the same time, warm colours are used in spaces that could be considered serene and calm for Katie, such as Jennifer’s room: the person she loves. All this indicates a deep and elegant care of the color palette by the directors, who transmit Katie’s inner conflict to the audience seamlessly.
Similarly, White Lie presents a particular dichotomy in terms of musicalization. At key moments of dramatic tension, Lev Lewis (the film’s composer) employs pieces that seem to be a mixture between the chaotic rhythms of the soundtrack composed by Antonio Sánchez for Birdman and the eccentric bits of musical impetus displayed by Erik Friedlander in Thoroughbreds. Thus, by way of aesthetic reference, in White Lie there seems to have been a compromise between the two compositions mentioned above, in which the rhythmic percussion injects dynamism into the story. And just as there are situations of agitation, there are moments of quieter emotional drama that are accompanied by musical pieces based on classical instruments such as violas, violins, and cellos that blend peacefully into the scenes. Hence, the musical compositions paint two sides of the same coin, working like a charm.
On the other hand, as far as the plot is concerned, White Lie maintains a very dynamic narrative inertia, since in spite of having a slow pace, it is very firm in its execution. The movie itself clocks in at 96 minutes. That being the case, not one second feels wasted, which makes it a pretty enjoyable and easy watch, although the subject matter may seem heavy at first glance.
One of the most attractive aspects that the film explores is the moral implications of lying for personal gain at the expense of others. It does a great job of showing us the emotional and social havoc caused by blatantly taking advantage of a massive hoax. Similarly, White Lie invites us to value and preserve the people we love before our own rampant ambition drives us away from them.
On top of that, something that jumps into the spotlight right away is the quality of the performances on display. Amber Anderson does a great job playing Jennifer, who represents a beacon of hope on the sea of uncertainty that Katie finds herself struggling in.
Moreover, Kacey Rohl, in her leading role, offers a masterful performance in which she delivers large amounts of emotional nuance, while inviting us to empathize with her through each and every situation she faces. That being so, even though we as spectators know that Katie’s actions are wrong, we cannot help but be curious about what her fate will be and how she will deal with it when it comes knocking on her door. This way, the protagonist becomes a kind of tragic character whose strong motivation keeps us glued to the screen, despite not always performing the best acts.
We need to talk about the third act (spoiler free, of course). It is important to note that the way White Lie concludes can polarize the opinions of the audience, since the dramatic construction of the film has been unfolding in a relentless crescendo whose payoff may be unsatisfactory to some. However, this writer found the ending to be one of the bravest ways to conclude this particular story, mostly because it allows the viewer to ponder the meaning behind the film they just witnessed with enough tools at their disposal to do so. They can guess what would happen if this particular situation played out in real life. In the long run, we all can figure out the destiny that lies ahead of Katie.
The directors trust the audience and their ability to construct their own sense of moral closure. And I respect that.White Lie will be released on various digital streaming platforms on January 5th, 2021 (DirecTV, Amazon, InDemand, iTunes, FlixFling, AT&T, Vimeo on Demand, Vudu, Fandango & Google Play).
