Christian Slater and Cuba Gooding, Jr. star in Lies & Illusions, a film that follows the first-time best-selling author of a self-help book, Finding Love in the 21st Century. After the celebratory soiree in honor of his achievement, Wes Wilson (Christian Slater) and his fiancee, Sam, make their way to the car where they are attacked by masked marauders who kidnap the girl and leave Wilson who is assumed to be unconscious.

A year later, when Sam is presumed dead and Wilson gains access to her bank accounts and a safety deposit box, Wilson is approached by Isaac (Cuba Gooding, Jr.).  Isaac hands him a business card stating that he works for the same company that Wilson’s fiancee had claimed to work for, which Wilson has since discovered does not exist.  Tension builds and violence abounds when Wilson refuses to get into Isaac’s car, and instead makes a break for it.  When Sam appears again later in the film alive and well, Wilson doesn’t know what to do with himself.  He eventually finds out who she is, why Isaac is after them both, and how to get out this terrible situation.

This flick is most definitely an illusion.  It looks good on the cover, flashes the names of Christian Slater and Cuba Gooding, Jr. to draw your attention, and then sorely disappoints with its delivery.  Cuba Gooding, Jr. was the only actor  to portray any genuine talent or experience.  The rest of the cast ranged from eh to awful and everywhere in between.  I hope the makers of this film were working with a fairly low budget – not that that’s an excuse.  I’ve seen some pretty great films that were created on a low budget.  It’s unfortunate that Lies & Illusions won’t be added to that list.

I will say that the story line has potential.  With a little more development, some real actors and a few more dollars invested, this could have been a decent movie.  That being said, use your redbox dollar for something else ;o)