Richard Gere tears into the role as Clifford Irving in this surprise movie about trying to get his Howard Hughes autobiography published, while lying to all who enter his world. Gere is back to form here and he looks better and cooler than ever (having a fake nose and his hair died dark black doesn't hurt either). Though this movie is about how Irving lied and conned his way on trying to get his book published but if you would dig deeper you find a more complex and scary plot development and that is how Irving falls under the power of Howard Hughes' spell.
This is based on the true story taking place in 1971 about Irving who is a struggling author who recently got his new book turned down by McGraw-Hill. The next day he goes into their office and says he's going to write the book of the century. "That book would sell more copies than the Bible itself", that book is going to be the Autobiography of the eccentric Howard Hughes, whom Leonardo DiCaprio played perfectly in the 2004 hit movie The Aviator. This is when Irving begins to enter a world he wished he'd never explored. Along for the ride is his best friend Dick (Alfred Molina who adds a hilarious touch to this movie) who is his researcher and also a children's literature author. With the idea to write this autobiography they receive a one-million dollar advance because the people at McGraw-Hill think they're really dealing with Howard Hughes himself but it's really Irving they are dealing with. The company is willing to negotiate anything because Hughes is such a powerful man (hotels evacuated their entire building for him).
Irving transforms right before our eyes as he writes letters in Hughes' handwriting, steals some top secret information from his closest colleagues and in a haunting scene Irving slowly becomes the eccentric billionaire as he starts to dress and talk just like him, recording himself the entire way. It shows you how one can be overwhelmed by what he is set out to do. It was suppose to be something quick to get him some money, but instead it ruined and alters his entire life. His relationships between Dick and his wife Edith (Marcia Gay Harden) go to shambles as he chooses his obsession with getting his book published over his closest of friends.
The relationship between Clifford and Dick is strange. They're total opposites. When Dick is asked a question, he's suppose to come in on cue, by McGraw-Hill associates he panics and always breaks into a sweat. Meanwhile, Clifford has to bell him out and capture the associates with his compelling story about how both of them really meant Howard Hughes (which is done to perfection, you have to see it to believe it).
Irving's greed also played a part in his downfall. He found information in a list of documents he got a hold of from Hughes' advisors that would have President Nixon impeached (how Hughes gave money to wipe away some debt). We see how one man will go so far over the edge to keep something going even though he knows he's going to end up in jail if he gets caught. Today we are told that he is still trying to get that autobiography published. Irving wanted this published but McGraw-Hill denied it and this sent him mad. He wasn't happy with just getting his fake book published, he wanted to go further and drop some major bombs. This resulted in Hughes making a phone speech on TV as he finally tells the world that he never had any contact with Irving at all (it was shown as the real footage). Watching Gere act as this scene plays out is magical. What a performance he puts on this entire film.
Director Lasse Hallstrom (What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Chocolate) does some really impressive work here. As well as cameraman Oliver Stampleton as he creates beautiful images with beautiful color (the scene when Irving is tossed out a window shades of Vertigo and when he is racing home in the night driving his convertible on a winding road, such beautiful colors). What I loved about it was he would have flashback scene when Irving was telling a false story to either Time Magazine or McGraw-Hill or when he would try to confess something to someone. These aren't your normal flashbacks, these flashbacks never happened during the movie and since Irving believes in his head they really did happen we're suppose to believe that they really did. It's done to perfection. A true psychological game The Hoax turns out to be.