The Hoax

Name: The Hoax
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Released: April 6, 2007
Duration: 116 min
Rating: 70
Cast: Alfred Molina, Richard Gere

2007

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 37 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 45 Ratings

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8.4

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8.4	User Score Universal acclaim based on 45 Ratings

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The Hoax

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Movie Details & Credits

Miramax Films | Release Date: April 6, 2007 | R

Starring: Alfred Molina, Richard Gere

Summary: Inspired by true events, this film stars Richard Gere as Clifford Irving, a charismatic and charming writer who persuades the world that he is the authorized biographer for the reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes. (Miramax Films)

Director: Lasse Hallstrom

Genre(s): Drama, Comedy

Rating: R

Runtime: 116 min

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Critic Reviews

Lisa Schwarzbaum

Gere is terrific at suggesting the kind of addictive cocktail of excitement, panic, chutzpah, creativity, and naked hunger for fame and megabucks that might inspire such big, fat lies. Read full review

Claudia Puig

The Hoax lures you in with its captivating performances. Read full review

Richard James Havis

Entertaining and piquant. The film does possess some of the bittersweet qualities that usually mark Hallstrom's films, but it's generally a tougher, more incisive work that ranks as one of his best. Read full review

Robert W. Butler

The film is not only a good deal of malicious fun, but it gives Gere his best role ever. Read full review

Lou Lumenick

Hugely entertaining because director Lasse Hallstrom and screenwriter William Wheeler have greatly embellished the "truth" in Irving's book about the hoax. Read full review

Richard Schickel

Gere and Molina are themselves terrific as the con men. Read full review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

It's pretty perverse for William Wheeler, who scripted this feature, to get most of the facts wrong, inflating details that don't need any spin. (As Irving himself remarked, "You could call it a hoax about a hoax.") Read full review

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User Reviews

LeoTs3181983

Sep 6, 2010

The Hoax is a great movie.It's just a little silly,however. But Richard Gere is great. It's one of his best movies. I highly recommend it:So don't miss it.

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

SweetTooth

Apr 22, 2007

This is a terrific film crafted by professionals who know what they are doing and clearly love doing it. When movie screens are blanketed with nonsense like 300 and Pathfinder, it is a relief and a joy to behold a film that artfully tells a good tale. This is a real winner that you will This is a terrific film crafted by professionals who know what they are doing and clearly love doing it. When movie screens are blanketed with nonsense like 300 and Pathfinder, it is a relief and a joy to behold a film that artfully tells a good tale. This is a real winner that you will find worthy of both your time and your money.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

BillyS.

Apr 26, 2007

I was 19 when the Clifford Irving-Howard Hughes biography was all over the news and I remember thinking at the time what the big deal was. Somebody wrote a book about an eccentric hermit billionaire. So what? After seeing The Hoax I wished I'd have put down the joint and paid more I was 19 when the Clifford Irving-Howard Hughes biography was all over the news and I remember thinking at the time what the big deal was. Somebody wrote a book about an eccentric hermit billionaire. So what? After seeing The Hoax I wished I'd have put down the joint and paid more attention. Lasse Halstrom has made his most entertaining movie since What's Eating Gilbert Grape with a true story thats immensely intriguing, very funny and rich in characters. I am not a Richard Gere fan but I will say this is the best role of his career. He plays Clifford Irving in all his desperate glory and not once do you see Richard Gere the movie star! This could be the one that gets him an Oscar nomination next January, no kidding, he's that good! The whole cast is that good. Alfred Molina, Hope Davis and Marcia Gay Harden all shine in very meaty roles and the credits are all top notch, especially Carter Burwell's score with a spot-on perfect song over the end credits. The Hoax is a great story made into a good well balanced movie that leaves you hoping for a sequel, not for The Hoax, but for The Aviator! Scorsese and DiCaprio doing the Howard Hughes the way this movie, and everyone alive, really remembers him!!… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

MarcK.

May 9, 2007

The acting's very good, but the plot is extremely slow moving. At least another 15 minutes or so could have been cut, which would have made it a much more enjoyable film experience.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

JLuis_001

Dec 7, 2022

A film about an impressive hoax that uses the con man's dubious memories as source material.
In and of itself it sounded intriguing and at the same time hilarious, and while the film doesn't have much impact, it delivers in one crucial aspect, entertainment. It's already a relatively oldA film about an impressive hoax that uses the con man's dubious memories as source material.
In and of itself it sounded intriguing and at the same time hilarious, and while the film doesn't have much impact, it delivers in one crucial aspect, entertainment. It's already a relatively old film, but among all the films Richard Gere has been in over the last 20 years, I think it's one of his most interesting performances. A discreet movie to be honest, but I didn't mind watching it.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

amheretojudge

Dec 1, 2019

The Hoax is nothing like you'd expect. Sort of like the very definition of the title. Hey! There's your first clue. They are getting things right.

The Hoax Lasse Hallstrom, the director, is an optimistic fellow. He has to be. Or so he projects himself as. Armed with a bizarre true storyThe Hoax is nothing like you'd expect. Sort of like the very definition of the title. Hey! There's your first clue. They are getting things right.

The Hoax

Lasse Hallstrom, the director, is an optimistic fellow. He has to be. Or so he projects himself as. Armed with a bizarre true story and even ridiculously funny script. The film easily has ten moments, steps in each act of the film that drops your jaw in the air. Now, that is a good script. But I think what Lasse does here is something much smarter and efficient. You'd think that after a while, the shock therapy would grow weary. But where there were supposed to be "mehs" there is perpetually an awe. And his first way in, is through the pace. It moves with a ferocious speed, even at times neglecting characters and their priorities. Lucky for them, they have a great cast and equally great performances in their side, especially Alfred Molina as the "co-author". There is another major improvement in the film and it is how meticulous it is. You'd think that a film like such, of such genre, that displays time passing by rapidly will rely upon montage sequences and a train of various scenarios whooshing in front of us. And instead we get proper hand picked set pieces driving carelessly in this safe street. Which makes me think about the genre, now. "The comedy" genre of the film is actually a major contributor in the dramatic elements. We get the essence of sketchy scenes. Now, where we draw lines in comic films are completely different then where we would draw in dramatic ones. Lasse pushes back and forth between these genres to make the most absurd plot swallow with delight in our face and the most mundane requirement feel like responsibility. That is what it all comes to, responsibility.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Luke

Apr 13, 2007

Gere is okay, but between the brain-dead Hughes, the cut-throat publishers, and the lying novelist and his forger wife, there is absolutely no one in the movie to care about or root for. Come on, Hollywood, give us movies with people of substance with decent values, not this drek. I found Gere is okay, but between the brain-dead Hughes, the cut-throat publishers, and the lying novelist and his forger wife, there is absolutely no one in the movie to care about or root for. Come on, Hollywood, give us movies with people of substance with decent values, not this drek. I found myself wishing all the characters would die an ignoble death.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

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