After breaking out with The Blair Witch Project, Joshua Leonard has had a steady career in the indie film scene, most recently starring in the mumble-core projects Humpday and The Freebie. This year he returns to the Sundance Film Festival with his directing, writing, and starring gig The Lie. Co-starring Jess Weixler, Mark Webber, Alia Shawkat, and Kelli Garner, the film follows Lonnie (Leonard) and his wife (Weixler) who are going through some changes in their marriage. Lonnie, tired of his daily editing job, lies to his boss saying his infant has died and then we follow the aftermath. Up until the last 15 minutes, The Lie is a premiere example of how to craft compelling characters in low-budget environment. The conclusion unfortunately wraps up in a unearned, off-putting way. Daniel Mecca and I discuss the film below:
What do you think of Josh Leonard the filmmaker? The actor?