Review of The Hoax (2006) by Shiela E — 13 Apr 2011

A fascinating, somewhat confusing, look at the man who was audacious enough to fake being the biographer of Howard Hughes the recluse; this would be biographer is a man who has very little in the way of admirable qualities and who is willing to do practically anything to further his goals which appear to include becoming famous and wealthy.

He cheats on his wife more than once, includes her and a friend(?) in his outrageous scheme to fool not just a publishing company but also media interviewers (Mike Wallace, who chillingly admits his admiration for the guy's "moxie") and anyone who buys or reads his book once it was published.

I admit that my only reason for seeing this film was Julie Delpy and her role is rather slight, as was her role in Bill Murray's "Broken Flowers", and not really reflective of her talent. She plays the woman that Richard Gere's character has an affair with more than once (her character is either married or already in a relationship).

Essentially the spotlit characters are like a gallery of rogues (male and female). Hughes is presented as a shadowy recluse with his own "mafiosa" or something like it. 5 out of 10.