FORBIDDEN LIE$
Yes, the S in the title is a dollar sign, presumably to mark it as belonging to the long, proud Michael J. Fox’s THE SECRET OF MY SUCCE$S. Just ignore it, okay?
FORBIDDEN LIE$ is an elliptical documentary about Norma Khouri, author of the shocking expose of honour killings in Jordan, FORBIDDEN LOVE. Then Australian journalist Malcolm Knox revealed the book to be a hoax in 2004, and Khouri’s carefully constructed image – a brave virgin fighting for women’s rights even with a fatwa on her head – quickly crumbled. Now she explains herself. Kind of.
FORBIDDEN LIE$ is a dazzling performance, both by Khouri and director Anna Broinowski, more like a magic show than a fact-finding mission. The smoke and mirrors are of the highest quality, but when the press kit quotes Goethe (“We are never deceived; we deceive ourselves”) you know you shouldn’t expect any solid answers.
You’ll be completely absorbed by the story’s twists, but after an hour or so, you’ll want to reach through the screen, grab Norma Khouri by the lapels, and shake the truth out of her. By the time the credits roll, you’ll want to do exactly the same to the movie itself.
Format: Cinema
Mood: Smarts
Keywords: Norma Khouri, Honor Killings, Malcolm Knox, honour killings in Jordan
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