Hal Hartley is surely one of the most interesting filmmakers to grace the American cinema in the late 20th century. His films may seem like an exercise in style over substance to the uninitiated but the style here actually accentuates the substance of his films.

Hartley's "Unbelievable Truth" and his next film "Trust" have similar qualities that almost make them inseparable. It is impossible to discuss the one without the other. Both of the films share the unique quality of rapid-fire dialogue which is written by Hartley. The character's spew forth their words like they must get them out in order not to choke on them. This is not to say that the scream or that they speak hurriedly. It is more like the character's brains are forcing them to say these lines or they will have no rest. It is a quality that no other filmmaker comes close to and it makes Hartley's films seem otherworldly and alien. But the overwhelming truth of the characters' lines nullify and void any thoughts of fantasy and their statements become hyper- reality. It is impossible not to become engrossed in the dialogue of either of these films.

Hartley also uses color like no other filmmaker. His films are as crystal clear as virgin video tape. This again gives the effect of hyper-reality. This is not the real world but simply a place that exists somewhere within the confines of the real world. Several scenes in both films seem almost oxymoronic recalling the beauty of a oil painting in the hyper-realistic world of video technology.

Hartley also knows how to frame a picture as well. Almost any still from any one of his films could hang in the finest photography studios.

Combined with the engrossing dialogue, the stunning visual sense of Hartley's films compels the story forward at a breakneck pace. And that is not to say that there is no plot. For although the stories presented are usually metaphorical and symbolic, the overall interest is never denied. This is filmmaking at it's best.

The casts of both films share several talented young performers. The most dynamic of these is Adrienne Shelly. Her demure yet forthright personality shines through both Audry in "Truth" and Maria in "Trust." The two characters she plays are completely different however. In "Truth," Audry is originally forthright and blunt but she changes into a yuppie fashion model who only realizes she can have what she wants if she just remains herself. In "Trust" Maria changes for the better from someone who is "ashamed of being young and stupid" into someone who can learn and be independent.

Both of these metamorphoses occur charged by the man who comes into Shelly's life. In "Truth" the man is Robert Burke who plays Josh, an ex-con auto mechanic whom everyone thinks is a priest. This humorous mistake occurs throughout the film with Burke constantly denying any holiness yet others seeing the holiness in him. In "Trust" the agent for change is Martin Donovan who carries a hand grenade "just in case." Much different from Burke's character who brings out the character Audry with his righteousness in "Truth," in "Trust" Donovan's character brings forth the changes with his fear and weaknesses.

Although both of these films are uniquely remarkable. "Trust" is the more accessible of the two. The themes and underlying meanings are much easier to decipher than in "Truth." There is growth shown in the later "Trust" with a little bit more polish and a little less hipness. If "Trust" is any indication of things to come, Hartley is headed for mainstream greatness.

Hal Hartley will hopefully be making films in America for a long time to come. The cinema needs his honesty and his exuberance. Nobody foreign or domestic comes close to revealing the landscape of modern daily life as honestly and artistically as Hartley does.

Notes:

Hartley is a native of Lindenhurst, Long Island. He studied filmmaking at the State University of New York at Purchase.

He shot much of "The Unbelievable Truth" in the homes of relatives. He acquired the money for the film by lying to a bank loan officer, claiming to need the money for a home computer. He then persuaded a friend to do the same. The film gained notoriety when it was shown at the 1989 Toronto Film Festival.

"Trust" earned the grand prize at the 1991 Worldfest/Houston International Film Festival.

Critic Joe Leydon of "The Houston Post" considered "Trust" to be one of "The 10 Best Films of 1991."

(Reviews written in 1993)

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