A Little White Lie (2023)

Plot of A Little White Lie: A literary festival at a minor university is on the cusp of being cancelled when the organiser comes up with the fact that she has captured a legendary reclusive author C.J.Shriver to attend. Shriver has, twenty years earlier written a ground-breaking novel “Dog Time” but no-one seems ever to have seen him. However, the recipient of the request to attend is a down at the heel alcoholic handyman, who has accepted the invitation with the help of his buddy in the local bar. Asked to come with some writing he does write stuff on a number of yellow legal pads, and after a couple of false starts begins to join in with the event. He shows more wisdom than we might expect from a handyman, accepts the friendship of one of the event directors, also a drunk, and begins to have feelings for Simone the lady in charge of the event. But is he the real Shriver and will various people involved out him, including his agent and a detective who is on the trail?

Content: Some bikini clad girls at the hotel swimming pool. A  lot of drinking of all sorts of alcohol, I think Shriver’s choice in Bourbon. Shriver is seen in his native environment, unblocking toilets and drinking in a low life bar. He takes a plane to the event and makes friends with a very large black lady, who asks him to read her manuscript, as do many other people over the time of the event. He crosses swords with a lesbian poet and her friend who is a sculptress – in cake. He attends a number of events where he is part of an expert group on stage. He is attacked at a party by a woman who obviously notches up her successes with a variety of authors. He is eventually faced with someone who claims to be the real Shriver.

A View: This film has been in development hell for years with lots of other actors attached, and even now that it has finally made it into the cinemas it has received almost no distribution, and has not been much seen or reviewed. However, I realise that as an unpublished author of fiction I was absolutely on the case and enjoyed it a lot. So I really don’t understand why  it has not been promoted more. This is me doing it now. If you are an unpublished writer of fiction it is a must see, and even for everyone else it is still fun.

Fun Fact: The director was attending a book reading of Shriver by Chris Belden in 2013 and optioned it on the spot.