On L List of Movie Reviews
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Lianna (1983)
Rate:
9
Viewed:
12/17
12/17:
Forget Personal Best; you should see Lianna instead.
It's the second film of John Sayles' directorial career which is every bit as good as
Return of the Secaucus 7.
What makes his pictures exemplary is that he has a good understanding of human beings and how they handle
relationships. The dialogue is always easy to listen to unlike Woody Allen's films.
Lianna is about a woman who cheats on her husband by engaging in a lesbian affair, has a self-discovery, and feels liberated
as a result. It actually sounds like Henrik Ibsen's A Doll House, and there are similarities between these two.
Wonderful are the acting performances. The standouts are Linda Griffiths (who died of breast cancer in 2014 at age 57
and was the better version of Joan Cusack), Jane Hallaren, and John Sayles. My favorite line is "Just because you can argue
better doesn't mean you are right." Don't blink, or you'll miss him: Chris Elliott makes his feature film debut as the
lighting assistant.
All in all, Lianna is a fine film by John Sayles.