White Lie (1991 TV Movie) User Reviews (2)

Good But Could Have Been A Lot Better!

[sataft-2 · 7/10 · 26 January 2001]

This film had much to offer: good script, subject and general pacing. The key problem is the male lead, Gregory Hines. He is completely wrong for the part. He's a passable actor, but not one capable of projecting deep sincerity when it is called for, and the film suffers for it. All throughout the viewing, I kept thinking what Sidney Poiter or Denzel Washington could have done for this cinematic effort.

Annette O'Toole is, as always, stunning and quite effective within the limited parameters she's allowed to perform. This talented actress has never been given the respect from Hollywood and the film industry that she has long deserved.

Nevertheless, the film is entertaining and, in some limited aspects, thought provoking. It's worth a look.

Distressed !

[nicholas.rhodes · 9/10 · 7 October 2005]

I was most distressed on reading the information about this film to discover that, in real life, the main protagonist, Gregory Hines, was already dead ! And at such a young age ! I thought this film was excellent on all counts ! Sure, it is a bit preachy about racism ( which is the only aspect I don't like ) but the plot was excellent and the actors' performance wonderful. I thought that Gregory Hines came over as a very natural and attractive person and I also liked Annette O'Toole very much ( Every film I have seen with her in I have liked - she must have some subtle attraction ! ) and it's good to see them fall in love through the course of events in the film. Obviously, the beginning of the film is very distressing and this serves the basis for the rest where Madison is trying to uncover the truth about what happened to his Dad. There are some irregularities in the plot, I mean if the photo was thirty years old, I mean how could O'Toole's brother who didn't look more than forty have appeared as an adult in the same photo ? I noticed a couple of irregularities with relation to this thirty year time period but consider these "minor offenses" in relation to the film as a whole ! I would dearly like to own this one on DVD as I am having up till now to put up with a taped version dubbed into French language which takes half the pleasure of watching it away ! I have noticed few comments on IMDb about this so must assume that it is not a very widely diffused film. Pity !