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The Unbelievable Truth
The Unbelievable Truth
1989
Romance, Comedy
1h 30m
After serving time for murder, Josh Hutton returns to his home town where me meets Audry Hugo. No one can remember exactly what Josh did... (imdb)
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The Unbelievable Truth
1989
Romance, Comedy
1h 30m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 65.54% from 385 total ratings
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Rated 03 Apr 2010
11
99th
Endlessly - and incredibly - recursive (recurring scenes with subtle variations, people moving in circles within scenes and within the movie as a whole, and the awesome café scene, where Josh and the waitress repeat the same lines of dialogue three or four times) and amazingly well written. The high-brow, very unnaturalistic dialogue is as artificial as it is endearing. Nobody talks like this, you say? Well, who cares? That doesn't make it less interesting. Perhaps the best film from the 80s.
Rated 03 Apr 2010
Rated 14 Oct 2008
65
76th
Some of the techniques Hartley uses are pretty interesting. Dialogue overlap when girl meets boy for wrench delivery and right after that repetetive dialogue in the bar is especially notable. But this hell of a director doesn't exactly have a sure foot in his debut, so a promising movie basically drools around. Nevertheless it's Hartley in every manner.
Rated 14 Oct 2008
Rated 08 Dec 2014
75
74th
My first Hartley. This film, populated with funhouse-mirror versions of recognizable types, is relentlessly deadpan yet disarmingly sincere in its tragicomic view of human relationships -- with some entering conversation as performance without engaging (Emmet/Audry on the street, the diner scene), others reducing their relationships to a series of perpetually changing negotiations, and yet others passing by each other like ships in the night. And even if they connect, apocalypse looms.
Rated 08 Dec 2014
Rated 12 Mar 2020
80
73rd
Hartley is about as subtle as a book to your prized vase but his particular flavor of world-wise irreverence/possible cynicism continues to delight me as it did with my first viewed Hartley (Trust). Spits in the face of what small town success stories purport themselves to be within capitalism as designed "for" women by men, although yes it does still end with an guy/gal, icky age-gappy pairing, but relative to 1989 pretty bold. Poor or rich, nobody is free, but at least you could stay real.
Rated 12 Mar 2020
Rated 28 May 2022
70
50th
This is a quirky, arty, coming of age type film. Its I suppose a bit typical of such films about people resettling into a smallish rural town following time spent elsewhere. I've seen similar films I think. It has a fairly authentic feel to it, which I liked. The cast do well I thought. Yes, I'd recommend this film - its a little slow and may bore some but its thoughtful and still felt intriguing enough to keep my attention. The pissed off/frustrated father character did make me laugh a bit.
Rated 28 May 2022
Rated 11 Nov 2007
95
90th
Adrienne Shelly is utterly compelling in this. It has a great cast & Hal Hartley does what he always does well!
Rated 11 Nov 2007
Rated 16 Oct 2009
70
51st
Rewatch Feb 2022. Has some tricks up its sleeve that are all its own. Hartley likes dangling invisible things right in front of you. The dad (Chris Cooke) is perfect. There's a scene where the very, very thin and pale Audrey (Shelly) wears bright red lipstick and looks just awful, like a melting skeleton with wax lips.
Rated 16 Oct 2009
Rated 08 Jun 2010
91
88th
This is the anti John Hughes teen movie. This movie is cruel, funny and touching. It really showcases Adrienne Shelly as such an incredible talent and her charm and wit make this movie so special
Rated 08 Jun 2010
Rated 30 Jul 2011
80
91st
Not quite as strong as Trust, but you have to give it to Hartley. The guy writes quirk WITH PURPOSE. Hard to imagine in today's cinematic landscape, but there are sometimes reasons why a girl steals a giant wrench or why an entire father-daughter relationship hinges on intricate, ridiculous agreements.
Rated 30 Jul 2011
Rated 20 Jan 2012
80
74th
Well this was a "special" experience. Strangely intriguing and the stylistic dialogue is like nothing I've ever seen before. A movie that leaves you thinking... and thinking... and thinking...
Rated 20 Jan 2012
Rated 10 Mar 2012
75
66th
While reasons for characters' changing attitudes are often non-existant and at times things seems more confused than clever, this bleak comedy still manages to fascinate in spite of its flaws.
Rated 10 Mar 2012
Rated 14 Feb 2013
80
80th
Despite the conflicts being relatively opaque, is phenomenal who Hartley constructs and develops the relationships between his characters. The last scene's ballet is a great achievement in america's independent film, and this is a tremendous kick in to what it would become one of the best and most concise independent filmmaking moviment.
Rated 14 Feb 2013
Rated 10 Aug 2013
100
99th
A weird fable about the suburbs, it's pretty much what defines 'offbeat' while still being magical. The rare movie I could watch over and over again and never grow tired of.
Rated 10 Aug 2013
Rated 14 Jan 2014
90
79th
Excellent movie. Such a unique tone, feeling, state of mind.. Hal Hartley's screenplay, the offbeat performances of Adrienne Shelly and Robert Burke, the stylised cinematographic choices, the sub-suburban Long Island setting, the Bonnie and Clyde setup, Jim Coleman's marvellously dark and synth-y score, the Lynchian vibe of horror lurking beyong the horizon.. it all adds up to something beautiful, a movie you can't look away from.
Rated 14 Jan 2014
Rated 05 Jan 2016
58
48th
Interesting idiosyncratic debut from Hal Hartley.
Rated 05 Jan 2016
Rated 02 Jul 2017
70
64th
A quirky indie rom-com from Hal Hartley, just the normal side of weird all the way through.
Rated 02 Jul 2017
Rated 15 Aug 2018
89
87th
I love the understated, off-kilter humor in this, as Hartley explores the territory of relationships (romantic and otherwise) with freshness and insight. The title is ostensibly a reference to the "what happened" question at the center of the film's narrative. However, it also functions to prompt reflection on the nature of relationships, the secret to which Hartley titles his next film.
Rated 15 Aug 2018
Rated 03 Feb 2021
3
72nd
Hartley's only relevant movie, for me.
Rated 03 Feb 2021
Rated 04 Aug 2022
85
84th
All the characters are so flawed, and so loveable, and this is a truly beautiful movie. Every shot is just framed up like a live action painting, but so well done that it feels almost accidental. Every moment feels lived in. Somewhat akin to other lowkey indie classics like Sex, Lies & Video Tape, and Hesher. Subtle Lynch vibes. Delightfully stylized dialogue -- surreal, or hyperreal, more real than reality.
Rated 04 Aug 2022
Rated 31 Jan 2023
90
88th
I love this film. Burke and Edie Falco (a waitress at the local diner) have a scene where they have the same conversation four times in a row. Shelley's mom (Katherine Mayfield) is "gardening" while taking to Cooke, but all she's really doing is sticking plastic flowers in the ground. Cooke's name is "Victor Hugo".
Rated 31 Jan 2023
Rated 07 Sep 2023
60
35th
At times, this felt like an Altman ensemble piece done by the local theatre guild; there's not a lot of powerful acting here. But the offbeat humor and the dizzying intersecting character lines did suck me into this bizarre world (somewhat like a modernized Winesburg Ohio).
Rated 07 Sep 2023
Rated 07 Feb 2024
67
44th
Yawnstretchexplosion+madevenwhenharvardlol+falco+lmaodadcollegenegotiation+hedidntactuallyetc+listenbombslol
Rated 07 Feb 2024
Rated 19 Feb 2024
75
76th
Something like Twin Peaks in a way, but excise the overt surrealism and let the more moderate idiosyncrasies remain. Like it's female protagonist it's a little pallid: less 'restrained' than lacklustre. Nevertheless, the script is entertaining and narration often pleasantly oddball. I liked the use of music throughout. Another quaint, but satisfying Hartley film.
Rated 19 Feb 2024
Rated 05 Mar 2024
70
81st
Hartley's overly realistic style resembles both a B-movie at times, and a satirical depth of its own, which I reckon is what Yorgos Lanthimos did in The Lobster too. I personally love that style. It's easy to watch, flows smoothly and kept me always on the verge, wondering whether something deeper is meant in a particular scene or with a certain dialogue exchange, or whether that "deeper thing" is the filmmaker-author's tongue-in-cheek joke for the viewer. Awesome.
Rated 05 Mar 2024
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