The Hoax

Based on actual events and a book by Clifford Irving this slice of Americana tells the story of writer Clifford Irving and presents him as a pathological liar or a freewheeling megalomaniac.

This true story details the complex hoax that fooled a major publisher and LIFE magazine into thinking that Clifford Irving was writing an authorized biography of Howard Hughes. But also tells about how Irving ties himself to the fall of Richard Nixon. Two powerful men, one pathological liar and who knows how much of this tale is really true, but most of it seems very possible.

The movie is very well done and Richard Gere is outstandingly good here, probably his best performance up-to-date, he plays Clifford Irving. Also here superb Alfred Molina that plays Dick Suskind, Irving’s researcher, with a comical touch that will make you laugh in several moments.

The story is interesting, but somehow about the middle gets a little dull but picks up for the last part. What the movie has very interesting and quite good is the character development.

Not a masterpiece but worth seeing for the story, the acting and the character development.