Why Would I Lie? (1980) User Reviews

not actually funny

[SnoopyStyle · 5/10 · 25 April 2022]

Cletus Hayworth (Treat Williams) is a compulsive liar. As a social worker, he has to find a foster home for Jeorge (Gabriel Macht). He discovers that the boy had been taken away from his real mother under questionable circumstances. He goes searching for the birth mother.

This isn't actually funny. I think it's supposed to be funny. I wonder if a comedian could make Cletus' lying something funny. Treat Williams is not a comedian. More than anything, he's playing it as a mental illness. He's a dramatic actor and this becomes a darker character study. It struggles to get there and it can't get the comedy. It's stuck. On a side note, it is odd to see Gabriel Macht as a kid. He's unrecognizable. He actually has the only funny moment. This could have worked if Cletus and the kid become the constant pair on a road trip.

A bad movie that's great.

[kerr-g · 7/10 · 21 October 2006]

My wife and I saw this movie when HBO or Cinemax broadcast it sometime around 1982. We still talk about it.

My wife's boss also saw the movie in her home at the same time, and it seems that all of us were just too tired or lazy to get up and change the channel (this was before the days of wireless remotes for cable).

The movie is SLOW and just incredibly B O R I N G!

But then, like a steam engine pulling a long train, the movie starts picking up speed. By the end of the movie, my wife and I were on the edge of our seats. We later found out that my wife's boss had the exact same experience.

I'd love to see the movie again, but it seems that the slow first part of this movie has turned so many people off that few people have seen the whole thing, and therefore, there's virtually no demand for this nail-biting, on-the-edge-or-your-seat story.

A VERY charming movie anddddddddddd I found it!

[BuckeyeJohn1976 · 7/10 · 22 August 2017]

I have not seen "Why Would I Lie" since it was on HBO ~1982. Loved it. Plenty of reviews and synopses here, I won't repeat them. Plus, I haven't seen it in forever. I will just say you'll laugh a bit, cry a bit, and when all is said and done, you'll be very glad you watched it. I think 'charming' is the perfect adjective.

I too have searched for this movie for years, without success. All the main sources, plus any obscure ones I could find. No luck. (No Amazon, I do not want the poster, I want the movie!) Somehow, a month or so ago I found it! Queensbury DVDs in England. And you'll like the price even better, only $10 + $4 S&H. The DVD has been tested and it played in our player.

http://www.queensburydvds.com/

I have done my good deed for the day. ;-)

First saw it on HBO and watched it over and over because the story was great and so uniquely funny. Too bad it hasn't been released to video or DVD.

[ljrseanfan · 28 July 2004]

From the first time I saw the movie on HBO I had to find out about this new actor on the scene,Treat Williams. Reading every video guide for the past 10 years and nowhere was this movie listed. Mr. Williams did a wonderful job with the story and made you almost believe that lying wasn't such a bad thing after all. A great romance movie for a rainy afternoon but just our luck it isn't available. Too bad VHS and DVD movies weren't sold back in 1980. A bundle could have been made from Treat fans alone and just think of the royalties. Is there some reason this movie wasn't released to network television after it's run on HBO? Not even as a rental and I recall asking the guy at Blockbuster to check for all Treat Williams movies and this one was never listed as one of his credits.

Because You're A Jerk

[boblipton · 4/10 · 25 April 2022]

Treat Williams works for Child Services, who has a shaky relationship with reality. He somehow has acquired a young son in Gabriel Macht and several girlfriends, particularly Lisa Eichhorn, varying his version of whats going on from moment to moment; every time he's caught out, he responds with a blithe "why would I lie about that?" But as Macht acquires his habits of untruthfulness, and the ladies start to catch on, he watches his shoddily assembled life start to fall to pieces.

And my reaction was a good thing too. There are hints that Williams' lying is a psycholoigcal disease, but it makes him an unpleasant person, and everyone else seems to have as poorly constructed a worldview. Macht might have had a claim on my sympathy, but he's lit and shot in too obvious a manner to seem more than another form of manipulation. With no one present for me to really care about, I didn't have much interest in the movie.

why would i lie?

[mossgrymk · 4/10 · 20 May 2022]

One of those insufferable late 70's "Morgan" spinoffs (the original was bad enough) where if you're crazy and cute then you're automatically the hero because you see it's society that's really nuts yadda yadda. About the only interesting thing going on is location shooting in Spokane (first and only time I can recall a film shot there) but the cinematography is so undistinguished that you might as well be looking at Grenada Hills or Anderson, Indiana. C minus.

Why would I lie?

[queenofdenial1 · 10/10 · 29 July 2006]

I loved this movie and searched for it for a number of years. All I could ever find was the pal format. It was released in Pal format. So if you didn't have a Pal player you were out of luck. I bought the Pal format on ebay from someone in the UK for a high price thinking I would find a player, but that never happened. Someone did contact me after my sale and offered to sell me a DVD of the movie which I accepted right away, I watch the movie at least once or twice a month. It always makes me laugh! I fell in Love with Treat Williams the first time I saw Hair. I didn't know that Treat Williams doesn't like to admit he was in this wonderful movie. I have about everything he was ever in. I wish they would release some of the other wonderful movies of that time period.

A quirky but cute family movie

[pc-wiz · 8/10 · 21 December 2005]

Treat Williams plays a guy who gets hit in the head with a rock during a protest and develops this urge to make things more interesting in life. When anyone thinks his story is a bit too unusual, he says "Why would I lie about a thing like that?" As I remember, a girl (Lisa Eichorn) and her son enter his life and his lies are believed and cause confusion and problems for others. After almost losing those who have become important in his life, he finally learns his lesson.

I had this movie on tape and loaned it to someone and, of course, never got it back. No big deal for most movies, but this one never made it to re-runs, commercial tape, or DVD. Why, I don't know. I remember it as better than many, if not most, in this genre.

An odd movie, yet unforgettable!

[mikebrace · 8/10 · 1 August 2005]

This played for maybe a week on a showcase run in my area and I vaguely remember being the on only one in the theater when I saw it back in 1980...maybe 1979, I can't imagine it was 1980, like the IMDb says... Anyway, the little kid in the movie is Gabriel Macht, who was quite good, as I remember and is now an adult actor...he was excellent recently in A Love Song For Bobby Long, with John Travolta. How weird is it to see an actor you knew as a child suddenly, like 30? Lisa Eichorn was also excellent in this, and it never plays on TV or cable anymore, so let's hope that it will turn up as a budget DVD at some point. Even the people who sell never-released films as bootlegs don't have this one, and they've looked for it! Weird, huh?

bit of trivia on Jeorge

[lgholston · 2 October 2004]

This is one of my mom's favorite movies - it is very sad that it was never released! I did see it in the past year on a cable network station like TBS or WGN - so someone has the rights to run it. Bit of trivia: the boy who played Jeorge now goes by Gabriele Macht. I have seen him on a few things like the movie "The Recruit" and Sex and the City - recognized him immediately. Haven't found a site that says why he dropped Swann. IMDb doesn't have "Why Would I Lie" in his credits either - not quite sure why he and Treat Williams won't admit to appearing in this funny movie! I do remember the movie quite well if someone wants a more thorough synopsis. I might even be able to find a copy of what I taped off of cable, too. I didn't get it from the very beginning, but pretty close to it.

Here is Macht's IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0532683/

This great film should be released on DVD

[bpotte · 9/10 · 26 May 2007]

This is a really well done movie that advances gradually toward a really "edge of your seat" ending. One reason why the ending is so exciting is that the characters have been carefully developed so that you care about them at the end. Add to that the superb performances of a thoughtful Lisa Eichhorn, a character who is maturing played by Treat Williams, and a wonderful child portrayal, and you have a movie that should sell on DVD. I've enjoyed watching Lisa Eichhorn every time I see her in a film. She doesn't give away her character in the first scene of the movie, but holds back some of it, making you watch closely to discover the type of person underneath the character's cautious facade. Most really good "romantic comedies" require characters that develop gradually. Otherwise they'd just be a comedy made of nothing but slapstick. I'd buy a copy of this movie if it was available!

A funny and entertaining romantic comedy

[dickcl · 26 April 2003]

A great story shot in Spokane, WA about a family member who cannot help but stretch the truth just to make it more entertaining. Join that to a mother looking for her lost son makes for a touching drama coupled with a romantic comedy.

I taped this off HBO years ago and still watch it now and then.

great movie

[wcb_one · 10/10 · 26 May 2007]

"Why Would I Lie" is definitely #1 in my top 10 list. This movie an inspirational in my life. In 1980 my ex took my 5 year old son and disappeared. I spent 13 years tracking them down. We were reunited in 1993 after finding a graduation notice from his high school. The meaning of the biblical story of the prodigal son suddenly became crystal clear to me on that day. I believe that if I had never heard of "Jorge, with a J" I would probably have never seen my son again. It made me realize that family is the most important aspect of living in this world. If anyone knows where to obtain a copy, please let me know where. I would love to share it with my son. As usual, it fell by the wayside because of a bunch of self righteous "critics". It"s always frustrating when people fail to appreciate the entertainment and inspirational value of someone else's creation. Anyone who enjoyed this great movie is is truly a real human being. I'd be willing to bet you liked "The Magic Christian" as well.

Extremely well done movie

[drwho13 · 10/10 · 5 October 2005]

I too, caught this movie on HBO back in the day. I liked it so much I made a copy of it. Unfortunately it is on Beta and my machine is toast. If anyone knows where to find a copy, please let me know. This is a film worth watching more than once, a rarity these days. The film carries you through the stages of basically a pathological liars life from childhood problems into adulthood very quickly, then gets you to the meat of the story. This background information is critical to the movie and is worth the wait for the hilarious and touching aspects of life that follow. I do not believe anyone could watch this movie without walking away thinking "what a great flick! Wonder why I never heard of it before."

You can vote for the movie on Turner classics.com

[gadonnelly · 30 December 2006]

You can go to Turner Classics com and vote to have

Why would i lie put on air or DVD. i have been trying to find the movie for years. I saw it back when it first came out on HBO. I became instant Treat Williams fan. I hope someone out there has a copy and is willing to make copies for us.

Or will sell it on ebay. I hope you will all go and vote for it at Turner Classic. i would love to tell you what i liked about the movie. But all i can remember is that i liked it and treat Williams was really good. if i ever get to see it again , i will be happy to give a better comment on it. Thanks

Want a copy

[astoriamary · 10/10 · 9 August 2007]

I desperately want a copy of "Why Would I Lie" Used to have one on VHS but the machine ate it. This was a movie the entire family still talks about. I have searched and searched for years. This is the first time I just typed in the title on browser and got some sites to check out. I'm hoping someone can tell me how in the world we can purchase a copy. It just has to exist somewhere. My family truly feels this was the best movie Treat ever made, well he's done some really good movies, but this one remains our favorite. Please let me know if anyway can come up with a way to get our hands on a copy Thank you. I have already tried through Barnes & Noble, Amazon and Borders. Even have looked through Netflix. Maybe someone can tell me the maker of the movie. If I remember right it was a made for TV film, but was it Hallmark??? Simply too long ago for me to remember. Would love to have my grandchildren see it a start a whole nother generation saying "why would I lie about a thing like that?" Just part of the normal conversation in our house. Hopefully whoever produced this one will continue to come up with more great family films

Why would I lie about this movie?

[uffdafyda · 10/10 · 1 February 2007]

My family and I watched this movie on HBO in the 80'S. We made a video tape and played it many times. It is the second best movie on our list. Treat Williams was great. It is true that people don't want to hear the truth because it is too boring. It has been interesting to see several of the actors and actresses from this movie come to life in later films. This always brought great memories of "Why Would I Lie" back to us. We loved watching it. We didn't keep the tape because we thought we could always buy a good one. We never saw one for sale anywhere. We have been searching in earnest first in stores and then on the internet and discovered to our dismay it was never recorded and sold as a VHS or DVD movie. We would love to see it again and will buy it immediately if it ever becomes available. Our number one movie we recommend is: "Somewhere in Time"

The best movie ever

[seahomme · 10/10 · 30 June 2005]

Why would I lie? I rate this movie a 10 for excellent. It's the best romantic comedy with a surprise ending that I have ever seen. I have to say that this is my all time favorite movie. I was 19 when it first came out on HBO. I would watch it over and over, I have no idea how many times I watched it. I don't think that VCR's were even around yet. If they were I would have taped it. I would love to get a copy of this. I have looked high and low for it and have challenged video stores and friends to find the video. No one can! This is a great movie and I just can't see why it's not available on tape or now that I have a VCR I wish HBO would pull it out of the basement and show it again.

Treat Williams as Robin Williams Brother

[fredmant · 8 September 1999]

I don't remember a heck of a lot about this movie, other than it involved a social worker and an orphan, and of course Treat Williams. He talks a mile a minute, spinning one white lie after another. The movie was funny and touching, and I remember watching it a few times. It played on HBO for about a month and they just fell to the wayside. This was in the very early 80's. If anyone else remembers this movie, please, contact me.

Please release: 'Why Would I Lie'; THE movie I've been longing to see again (and again, and again, and...)

[catherinef-19741 · 10/10 · 24 February 2019]

This is The Only movie I've ever been interested in owning! And now nearly 40 years has slipped by and apparently it's Still not available?!? That's downright Cruel! Waaah! Who decides that stuff? I think it's a lie; it's gotta be....or, maybe a gorilla ate the master copy....

Where is the video?

[perlstein · 20 January 2004]

I loved this movie when I saw it in the movie theater, I've never seen it since then either on TV or on video, and I would love to have a copy of it! Please contact me if you have one.

Thanks, ARNIE PERLSTEIN

One of my all time favorites

[coolidgerobert · 10/10 · 9 August 2021]

Most reviews I have read aren't very good. I met Treat Williams when he was on his honeymoon in Maine after a fireworks display. We talked for about 10 minutes and found we had two friends in common. He said this movie was one of his favorites too.

A very good movie with some rough language and subject matter.

[jwhite41 · 8/10 · 29 October 2006]

This movie has some rough subject matter and some rough language, but it is a really good movie. It put real people in absurd situations. I have heard that NOW has blocked the release of the movie, but I couldn't begin to guess why. It is sad, tragic, and very funny. I have a very old copy I copied off the MOVIE CHANNEL, but it isn't very good quality now. I have been trying to clean it up and burn it to DVD without much success. I know that Turner Classic Movies listed it among their movies and it was scheduled to be shown several years ago, but never aired. Now they deny having it. I have been trying to find a good copy for years. If anyone has one or knows where I can get it, please let me know.

Correction

[city5705boy · 15 September 2021]

To correct a statement in the above review, this film was released. I saw it at the theater with my Father in the Fall of 1980. According to Daily Variety it reached #18 at the box office. I loved the film, and was lucky to have my Father tape it uncut/no commercials off a TV network. Another fan of the film I met online, put it on DVD for us. I loved the film, and have been a fan of Treat Williams ever since.

Long time no see

[scotties-99345 · 8/10 · 30 April 2022]

It's been years since I've seen this movie but it recently turned up on Turner Classic Movies (TCM). I saw part of it one day and checked their on demand movies and sure enough, there it was!

So good to see it again I had to share this with anyone else who might want to see it again...or even for the first time. It's a fun watch.