Lies He Told (TV Movie 1997) Poster

(1997 TV Movie)

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7/10
Tell Chris his dad was a hero once
sol-kay24 July 2005
(Some Spoilers) Facing a mid-life crisis and fed up with his marriage to Cindy ,Teddi Siddall, who seemed to have more say in what he did and where he stayed then the Air Force,USAF elite Red Beret Sgt. Major Davis Bay, Gary Cole,decided one morning to just walk away from in all and start a new life as a civilian.

David first got this idea when he met at a Halloween party sweet and adoring Alyson, Karen Sillas. Keeping his background secret from her by telling Alyson that he's in a top secret military outfit was the perfect cover for him. Back at Jackson AFB outside of Austin Tex. David starts to review his life's options with Cindy and the USAF and decides to change his identity by running away from it. David then calls Alyson, who only met him once, and makes a date with her. Before you know it David, now using the name Haywood,is engaged to be married to her.

Faking his death in a bicycle accident Dave purposely leave his wife and kids out in the cold and deserts his military obligation to his country.It didn't take long for Dave to find out that civilian life just doesn't appeal to him. It's now too late for Dave to go back to his first wife Cindy and his two boys with him facing the brig and a military court-martial if he comes back to the USAF. Dave takes up the only job that he could do to support him and Alyson and their infant son Chris: using his skills he learned in the Red Berets to rob banks.

Based on a true story "Lies He Told" has Dave Bay/Haywood living three, not two, different lives. One of a hard working family man one as a ruthless bank robber and yet another one as a dead and highly decorated, by the President of the US and Prime Misnister Of GB, All-American hero. Gary Cole is very effective as both Master Sgt. David Bay&husband David Haywood. Davids actions are, even though unforgivable, understandable in the case of his depression over his marriage to Cindy. The pressure of her nagging him got to the point where he just wanted to get lost and away from her and the kids. But he should have sought professional counseling from the US Air Force, which he would have been gladly provided with, instead of choosing the easy way out. Which in the end lead him straight into Levenworth Ferderal Prison. It may have been that the overly macho Dave thought it would have been a bad mark on his career, as well as his ego, to get help for his problems.

Karen Sillas as Alyson is the glue that keeps the film together with her at first going along with her new husbands explanation of his frequent disappearances, some for as much as two weeks, as him doing covert action in keeping the country safe from domestic and foreign terrorists. The real reasons for his long absences were the result of him casing out planing and robbing banks. Which was the only way he knew how to earn a living given from what he learned, in subversive actions, all those years in the elite Red Berets.

Alyson tracking down Dave's mom Carolyn Bay(Linda Goranson), who he told her was dead since he was a small boy, in Portland she finds out the truth about the double, or triple, life that he's been leading since he married her. This lead to Alyson finding out about his marriage to Linda and the two sons that he had with her as well as his faked death, and now AWOL, from the USAF. Being that it's a true story the ending was anything that you would have guessed it to be in a standard Hollywood, or made for TV, movie. That's what makes the film "Lies he Told, a lot better then what you would have expected it to be.
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7/10
Good Movie!
skarylarry-9340027 February 2022
Bankers do not leave a person alone with the safe deposit boxes! Was a pretty decent movie. Good acting. It kept my interest throughout! The woman was especially good!
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8/10
Gary Cole...excellent
MarieGabrielle4 March 2008
He is very good in this role as a disaffected and bored husband, a decorated air force officer, who becomes bored with his predictable suburban life and decides to make a radical change.

One evening he meets Karen Sillas, an attractive woman younger than his current wife. A relationship develops, and Cole decides to take it to the next level.

Not only does he have an affair, he fakes his death to escape his family obligations. Lies become increasingly more of a pattern as he begins to rob banks to keep his new wife (Sillas) happy, and to project the image that he is a success. A fictional delusion, apparently.

This was also based on a true story which makes it all the more intriguing. Cole is believable and excellent in these roles. Recommended. 8/10.
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10/10
Man feels trapped
sinclair197415 March 2006
I thought it was an excellent movie. Gary Cole played the role of a military man who feels trapped and unhappy with his wife who fakes his death fabulously! Over all, I thought the movie was great, definitely not a boring plot line! It's sad to say, but I think lots of men might feel this way. I think he should have just gotten a divorce and asked to be transferred instead of the extreme he went to, but he felt there was no other way out so he faked his death. I thought it was neat that Cole's real-life wife played the wife he was unhappy with in the movie. I think what the guy did was alittle extreme, but the movie was great nonetheless! Definitely recommend it!
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10/10
Elite military man fakes his death, etc.
bux14 November 2001
This mostly routine fact-based TV drama gets a boost from the fine performance by Cole. This is the story of a highly trained military man, unhappy with his wife and children, fakes his demise and runs off with the other woman. To support her in the manner in which she is accustomed he robs banks. Predictable, but not a bad watch.
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8/10
Don't lie to your wife!!
mbg41128 March 2008
Warning: Spoilers
This is one of the best TV movies I have ever seen! The title makes it so obvious and predictable but come on, all TV movies are like that!

The story is fantastic. It may seem ridiculous but it is based on an incredibly true story. Gary Cole plays a military man named Dave who feels trapped in his marriage. He abandons his wife and kids and then fakes his death! All so he could be with Alyson (Karen Sillas). How far will Dave go to keep his secret?

The acting is top notch for TV movies. Gary Cole especially keeps the movie together as a charming, smooth-talking sociopath who has an answer to everything when his wife gets suspicious. Karen Sillas does the best she can as a wife who discovers that her husband is a LIAR and doesn't know what to do about it. Teddi Siddall, who I believe is Gary Cole's wife in real life, plays her part well especially when she cries about the "death" of her husband. Wendy Makkena adds a nice touch as Alyson's sister. Linda Goranson is great in her small role as Dave's mother.

Predictable but the acting and the story take this movie up several notches.
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10/10
Karen Sillas was Fantastic
whpratt122 May 2005
The only reason I decided to view this film is because of the great acting talents of Karen Sillas,(Alyson Haywood),"Bad Money",'99, who is deeply involved with Gary Cole,(Dave),"Cry Wolf",'05, who is a great war hero and has all kinds of ways to make money and never seems to stop telling LIES. Alyson and Dave are trying to rebuild an old home and restore it to comfortable living conditions. The relationship gets troublesome and Alyson decides to find out what is going on and the plot gets very mysterious. If you are a big fan of Karen Sillas, this is the film for you. I only wish Karen would appear in more films, I miss her great talents.
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10/10
Spoilers shall be mention,but i love this movie from start to the end.i can watch it repeatedly.Gary Cole is great!as the Tall woman/actress Karen Sillis,the 2nd wife.
domincanredangel13 January 2011
Warning: Spoilers
I want to first say i do not support cheating let alone BIGAMY! what the heck was he thinking,just selfishness i guess. but what a MOVIE! just get a divorce,not a big deal and do better 2nd or third time around but he was just so immature and selfish prick,but i love the movie! really is a great film if your into Drama.Bank Robberies,Love story well kinda,lol and into such action non-stop in the sort of romantic way i see a love story here kinda but real love is naturally NOT what he had with EITHER!

gary is hot in this film in my opinion anyhow love him in few others films,again playing a bad guy and always seem to get this same type not so great role,but i love the true stories,are BEST films and i think he rocked it!

amazing how happy he is with the new wife,the bigamist he is,but was so sad miserable,with the 1st supporting loving good wife,and his lovely boys.yet goes off get the new woman knocked up,and has a kid and yet wasn't this the same reason he left in the first place,feeling tied down or bored,so odd,but then again MEN usually are many of them! lol i love the film,and i love the ending was very truly dramatic music 10 stars easy,great sad but interesting movie,this guy was a big lie. and the whole hug at the end when he is busted! love it,but kinda sad and romantic the ending too.but i was happy he went to the slammer but i read did not do much time for all the bank robberies,and bigamy rarely any time few years tops?that is weird,but i read he hire the best atty. money cam buy so who knows. nevertheless: I love the movie LIES HE TOLD a great movie,the music score is great when they are getting married,and yet the wife is actually thinking her hubby has died,yet he is well alive,doing actually great,and building or selling houses,with the monies his father in law give him tens and thousands$$$ of bucks in advance,to INVEST in the"booming real estate market!"wtf. this is nuts,but i love GARY sexy Cole in the movie,great actor in my opinion and truly is convincing when robbing these banks! also very convincing when he fool just about all others in her family,and the way he was so smooth with it is scary~ just happy

he did not kill no 1 as i was thinking he was going to do Until i read the story on the REAL guy and see no 1 was dead in this,thank god,

still sad what he did to the boys and the first wife Cindy. not right,however a great true story,i hear seven to 10 film production company wanted his rights to the film.wow. i can see why it really is a great story,of a loser jerk,who was so talented,and has a great career and great family but because of ostensible boredom your going to do this undermine three lives,your 1st wife,2 boys,actually five lives,the 2nd lady and her son with him,that was not right.and so wrong.

however:

i really do love each part of the movie film VERY well.

as in my honest overall opinion,in conclusion of my review:

Karen Sillas,(good actress)the tall brunette lady the 2nd wife:

i really do believe she was clearly just NOT wanting to see what and who her man really was.His wife i think should have "seen the flagrant"the obvious"signs"of this guy,but i guess it is true when the ole saying goes at times love is just truly BLIND....great movie,i will get it on DVD this year,and watching tonight with friends on LMN,the lifetime movie network. ADIOS and happy new year to all.

BMWRedheadLawStudent@Gmail.com
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9/10
These Lies Go to the Truth of the Matter ***1/2
edwagreen7 June 2012
Warning: Spoilers
The guy had an imagination beyond belief and despite the fact that he led a difficult life as a member of a military unit, something went terribly wrong with his psyche.

We have a married guy with two children who falls for a woman at a carnival. They wed and he passes himself off as single. He abandons his family by faking his own demise.

Of course, the new wife had to be very naive. His back-pay consists of money which is wet and when she asks why he wasn't by check, his answer about the government dealing in covert actions should have immediately raised a red flag for her.

The lies go on and our guy resorts to robbing banks to show her as the back-pay money. Finally, our victim wakes up and her investigating finally leads to the truth.

This is quite a tale of deception, greed and a guy with a definite loose screw in his head.
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