Reviewed by Lara Williams
Stars Tim Roth, Kelli Williams, Brendan Hines, Monica Raymund, Mekhi Phifer | Written by Samuel Baum
UK certification 15 | UK RRP £34.99 | DVD Region 2 | Runtime 581 minutes | Directed by Adam Davidson
We know the formula. Our brilliant, but necessarily flawed hero, balances unraveling a mystery (getting it all wildly wrong at the start before spectacularly cracking the case in a moment of characteristic genius) with a witty and heavily flirtatious repartee with their attractive colleague – thick with innuendo and will-they-won’t-they frisson. And all in under forty minutes. We’re talking Bones, House, The Mentalist... Lie To Me is of that same ilk.
Based on the research and work of real life psychologist and facial expression expert, Paul Ekman (who writes a weekly column examining the authenticity of each episode's content), Lie To Me centres around the day-to-day happenings of a sort of lie detection agency The Lightman Group - headed by veritable Derren Brown of the psychological drama world, Dr. Cal Lightman. Dr. Lightman (Tim Roth not exactly underplaying the role) can deduce whether someone is lying from their 'microexpressions' - fleeting facial contractions giving away their thoughts or emotions (not actually hokum. There's a wikipedia page about it and everything). The Lightman Group use the study of microexpressions and applied psychology to assist local and federal law enforcers, and anyone else willing to pay the apparently lofty pricetag for their services.
Although not trailblazing any new ideas, Lie To Me is a passably engaging and easy to watch endeavour. They seem really keen for us to get to know the various character's quirks and idiosyncrasies - this one's a wisecracker, this one has commitment issues - and are slightly lacking in subtlety for us to become properly endeared to them. A lack of subtlety can be found throughout Lie To Me, not least in the work they do. I'm no expert in microexpressions, but if I was confronted with the pained grimaces and gurns Dr. Lightman's team seemingly exclusively deal with - I might be able to detect whether someone is lying or not.
Initially a little more inclined to delve into the science of microexpressions - it becomes clear that the Lie To Me's writers soon lost interest in spelling it all out for us - which is a shame because it lent the programme a certain gravitas. With only a smattering enough of an over-riding story arc, Lie To Me doesn't really keep you coming back for more. Most programmes follow a formula over a season or two. House, Bones et al are formulaic episode to episode. Lie To Me apparently follows a formula over each ten minute cycle. Someone lies, lie is detected, it's not the lie we've been led to believe it might be... The truth is discovered! Over and over and over. Despite this, there is something quite satisfactory and instantly gratifying about the format. But like most instant gratifications, it lacks longevity.
EXTRAS None