Liars All (2013) User Reviews (10)

If we know they are all going to lie, then why bother?

[adi_2002 · 4/10 · 2 October 2013]

A game reaches tragic consequences when a group of friends decide to commit a crime and make it appear a suicide. What was supposed to be a simple fright now brings those involved in the interrogation room and each tells his opinion about what happened. Missy, the game organizer seeks revenge on Dennis who she had a relationship in witch she became pregnant and wants to tell this to his current girl friend,Casey. After the sentence is chosen they must fulfill it, namely to break into an apartment and steal something from there. Now Missy can put her plan into work but doesn't go as she wanted and she becomes a victim of the alliance between Mike and Dennis.

The film tries to show several views from many perspectives of those involved in a murder and in the end using the video recording that were hidden in the bottom of the framework where the plates with the punishment were and who has been left there for Katie, another girl involved, we find out what really happened. However I would not recommend this film because everything in it is amateur, script, plot, actors, performance, even the singer from the beginning.

What to believe?

[kosmasp · 3/10 · 15 August 2014]

As a whodunit, this doesn't work, because we don't really care for any of the characters. Except Sara Paxton maybe, but that is more to the actress than the character she portrays. Other than we have pretty young people partying and one of them having met a tragic end. But how did that happen and why did it happen? Do you really care? I'd bet good money that you don't really.

Watching people party has been done better before, this is not as exciting as it may sound. And it's not because there is no nudity (well partial nudity if you want to call it that), but because there is no real spark that does go off. Whether it's for the characters or for the viewer nothing really ever does tingle a bit. A shame, because there is some talent in front of the camera who does not have the opportunity to work their acting chops properly.

Didn't quite catch me.

[daPeda · 5/10 · 23 September 2014]

I wanted to see this movie because of Sara Paxton in a leading role.

The story line could have been improved in many ways as already laid out by other reviewers. I've seen other films like this one that were much better in almost any aspect. It's just that in Liars All the spark of fascination never lighted up.

If everything had been that flat, I would have rated All Liars with 3/10. But there were some bright spots, after all. Gillian Zinser, whom I'd never noticed before, Was good in her role as Missy, and Sara Paxton showed some (it's by far not her best movie) of her talent for natural role-play and as always had a nuanced and natural facial expression. So this adds two times one point giving a total of 5/10.

At last...a cure for insomnia

[jmnoates · 2/10 · 5 January 2014]

This is one of the most tedious of movies I have ever watched. There was some tension in solving the "who-dunnit" (hence 2 stars rather than 1) but really not worth the effort in watching the movie. Fortunately the movie was on Sky so it wasn't something I had forked out hard earned cash for.

If you've something better to go and do...like wash your hair then it would be time better spent than watching this.

Characters are very one dimensional the script contains a lot of clichés and the acting is poor...On a positive note..the version I watched was only 88 minutes long!

Wooden

[zagneek1 · 1/10 · 29 December 2013]

Would i like to go down the pub with these people?

Id rather stay at home with the cats & mainline Ovaltine all night watching repeats of "Oh Dr Beeching" on channel Gold.

The kind of empty self serving "selfies" i like to avoid.

Its packed full of cliques. "Hey lets set the film in London. How about some American "actors", so we can flog this flick to Hollywood" etc, etc.

"I know we can have a "maverick" cop with "atitude".

Just to remind the audience where its filmed, lets show lots of close ups of Big Ben, St Pauls Cathedral etc...just in case the audience think its filmed in Manchester or Birmingham.

Oh and lets drown out the dialogue with some modern day lift muzak (R&B).

Not my bag, but probably someone out there will like it.

UnThriller till the end

[fluffchop · 2/10 · 12 January 2022]

This movie is by it's nature very disjointed. As such there is no character development, not that that matters, but you don't really get to know any of the characters. What you are shown about them is that they're all really unlikable selfish pricks. Why the cop is pregnant is beyond me. It's just so random. Also she interviews everyone on her own. That's not how things are done. There's always two pigs to harass the suspect at any one time. I felt at the end there was some sort mild insinuation that Sara Paxton's character somehow manipulated events. This was the big twist apparently. UnThriller!!! But watchable. 2/10.

A typical whodunit that gets extra points for its good cast

[waba-se-wasca · 6/10 · 8 July 2015]

This is a relatively formulaic whodunit with a good cast, which is the movie's strength as the main actors' performances and interactions with one another make it quite enjoyable and entertaining overall. Just don't expect anything spectacular or even new from the plot, which is constructed like a basic crime television episode. It is not really a thriller if you ask me. You certainly won't get scared watching this movie.

LIARS ALL is centered around a truth-or-dare-type card game that takes place at a private party on New Year's Eve in London. The players are a group of acquaintances and close friends from the UK as well as the US. Some of them were in relationships with each other at one point but have since split up for one reason or another. Because of that, the mood is kind of tense between certain members of the group. The party guests get drunk and high pretty soon and the truth or dare game gets more and more raunchy and risky. It escalates in a breaking and entering of a nearby hotel room during which Missy (Gillian Zinser) dies from a gunshot in the neck. Mike (Matt Lanter), who's love for Missy was unrequited, and Dennis (Torrance Coombs), who left Missy for a famous pop star, were in the room with her when the supposed accident happened.

The question to be answered is if it really was an accident or if Mike or Dennis or both of them killed her. They both appear to have had motives to murder Missy after all. The possibility of a suicide is also not ruled out by the investigating detective (played by Alice Evans). She questions all the party guests individually, among them Katie (Sara Paxton), who had a relationship with Mike some time ago and would like to get back together with him. The statements of the people involved vary as to what exactly happened that night. They just don't add up. Some or or all of them must be lying. The detective has to find out who is telling the truth and who is not. Therefore, she questions them all thoroughly about their backgrounds and relationships. During the interrogation sessions, the events of the night are reconstructed multiple times in a number of possible ways. Now it is up to the detective to find out how Missy really died.

LIARS ALL is actually not too bad. Admittedly, it is stylized like your typical episode of a modern-day crime television series like COLD CASE or CSI or something, but it is still a pretty entertaining whodunit movie if nothing more. The movie is mostly enjoyable because of the well-cast actors, though, because the plot doesn't really offer any surprising twists and turns that you haven't already seen multiple times in movies and on television. Torrance Coombs' performance as the egoistic "bad guy" character Dennis can be pointed out as one of the strengths of the movie, and Sara Paxton's performance is more than solid as is typical for her. She is always believable in all the diverse roles she has taken on as an actress so far. I'm really impressed with her skills. I probably would never have watched this movie if Sara Paxton wasn't on the cast list, but I guess I would still have liked it had I stumbled upon it another way. I recommend LIARS ALL if you enjoy whodunits but don't expect anything earth-shattering.

Excellent Movie!

[drewpride72 · 10/10 · 17 February 2014]

I thought this movie was very entertaining, to say the least! It kept me at the edge of my seat, I thought the acting was very good, all of the actors played there parts very well! The story was also excellent, I was very interested in it when I read about it, after watching it I am very impressed with the whole story. The ending was very good, I couldn't take my eyes off of the TV screen, I didn't see the twist at the end coming at all it completely took me by surprise! I recommend this movie as a must watch, trust me you will not regret watching this movie you will be very pleased with this movie! I noticed a lot of negative reviews about this movie, and after reading them it was very clear to me that who wrote the negative reviews were critics who spoke only about this movies location and even wrote about specific places that were shown in this movie and they said in there opinion those locations were shown to make the movie better! I must say that I think there entire reviews seemed almost personally angry with this movie, because of the kind of actors in it. Well WHAT THEY should realize is that all of those things did make the movie better! They should also realize that they shouldn't hate on things just because they PERSONALLY don't like or identify with them!

Sour romantic relationships end badly.

[suite92 · 6/10 · 21 November 2013]

An American film set in London, UK. The film starts at a police station where a pregnant detective reviews what went bad at a party. During the interrogations there are many flashbacks.

On New Year's Eve, there's a party at a flat in London after some time at a public house. Attendees are: Dennis (soccer, very successful), Billy (soccer, team mate of Dennis, not as successful), Tanya (a waitress), Mike and Katie (American students), Kim and Brenda (friends traveling together), and Missy Dembree (an American studying in London).

Early on, we see that Missy did not survive the New Year's Eve game, which was a variation on Truth or Dare. They start with ritual bloodletting (a drop or two), followed by a second ritual of smoking recreational illegal drugs.

At this stage, the director has advised me of context, but my probability of liking the film is about 10%. Idiots on drugs and booze, doing Truth or Dare, a version with no prizes, but only penalties? Hm...how can this turn out well? Which characters should I find engaging?

Next stop, breaking and entering plus burglary; they film it for the sake of the party. Hardly worth the downside risk. That is where Missy gets shot. More flashbacks.

Mike knew Missy in LA, then Missy became attached to Dennis. More of the Truth or Dare. Still more flash backs, with a touch more clarity. Mike loves Missy, Missy loves Dennis, Dennis has left Missy and is engaged to Casey. Missy cannot take this. Mike is discouraged. The Detective has all sorts of motivations for someone causing Missy's death, and different accounts of how it happened.

The interrogation-flashback-interrogation cycles continue. The detective finds more nooks and crannies of motivation and fact.

How many go to jail? Does anyone get away without charges?

------Scores------

Cinematography: 7/10 Terrible in the introductory music video; hand-held nonsense. Otherwise competent.

Sound: 7/10 OK, though the incidental music seems to just fill time when nothing is happening on screen.

Acting: 5/10 No one was particularly good or bad. All of them portray knee-jerk followers of modern conventions for wastrels with money. If you are looking for a study in drug-using herd animals, here it is. Matt Lanter had the most screen time and the greatest number of lines; fortunately, he was almost competent.

Screenplay: 5/10 There are zero characters to root for, zero to despise, zero to embrace. The level of choppiness is too high. Linear exposition would have been more effective.

Love, Life and Lies (with Spoilers)

[scottiejarrett7 · 7/10 · 10 March 2017]

I like "Liars All" - the characters and the plot are both intriguing. I chose the film (On Demand) because it stars Matt Lanter. NBC's time-travel drama "Timeless" (a favorite show) displays Matt at his macho best. So handsome! Those amazing blue eyes could charm the pants off me, if paired with a rare treat, a full-faced, completely irresistible smile. As Mike, he's not the rugged self-disciplined special-ops guy. OK, he's a bit dorky and thoroughly malleable, but who wouldn't choose him over the self-absorbed user Dennis (Torrance Coombs) ?? Missy (Gillian Zinser), that's who. If Mike could conceal his unrequited love, maybe she'd go for him instead of Dennis, who doesn't bother to conceal his disdain. Missy combines flash sexuality with fatal passion. She's hot, but utterly fixated on the MCP Dennis. (Remember that apt insult, liberated women??) I empathize with Missy's dismay at being dumped, even if maybe she does earn it. Then there's Katie (Sara Paxton), pretty wide-eyed near-innocence at its best. Or is she lying?

What do I like most about the film? The dialogue and character situations, TRUTH or DARE. Look deep. Here are essential questions we human beings face. TRUTH. Where does "real life" exist? Is it in the outside world, or only in our thoughts and viewpoints? Reality and fantasy collide inside, so what is truth? If you really believe a false idea, does that make you a liar? Katie describes life as "mostly falsehoods" - except when something strips away our protective playacting. Drugs and drama (here) equal DARE. Taking a risk becomes possible, even desirable. Daring brings out the deepest hidden aspects of self, the dangerous possibilities, to placate fears and self- doubts, if only temporarily. But a deadly dare also brings on very negative consequences (punishments). So is the pleasure worth the pain? Love plays its part, too, in the search for truth amid the dares and self-deceptions. Is there one person somewhere, a soul mate, who can complete and bring out our best/truest self? Or is love just another illusion we enjoy perpetrating on ourselves and others? No matter how we present ourselves, aren't we LIARS ALL?

Then there's the question posed on Missy's unused card. "What would it take to make you kill someone?" I was waiting for the TRUTH: we'd see Katie burst in and pull the trigger on Missy, and neither Mike nor Dennis would accuse her since both are complicit in the death. I guessed wrong, but Katie's expression in the closing seconds makes an informative final twist: TRUTH, she would have done it, no doubt, if only she could DARE.