Lovers, Liars and Lunatics
| Lovers, Liars & Lunatics | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Amber Benson |
| Produced by | Amber Benson Danielle Benson Diane Benson Brooke Bundy |
| Written by | Amber Benson |
| Starring | Amber Benson Christine Estabrook Vic Polizos Michael Muhney Mia Cottet |
| Music by | Aaron Fruchtman |
| Cinematography | Jakobine Motz |
| Edited by | Amber Benson |
| Distributed by | Benson Entertainment Inc. |
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Release date
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Running time
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87 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Lovers, Liars & Lunatics is an independent American motion picture written, produced and directed by Amber Benson. It was scheduled to be released on DVD via Benson Entertainment in September 2006, but due to technical difficulties the release was rescheduled to November.
Much like with her first self-produced film, Chance, Benson appealed to her fans for donations to help finance the production, including offering personal and signed items for bid at online auctions and selling special edition Tara action figures to raise money. Fans were also solicited for suggested titles for the project initially called "The Dirty Script," and Lovers, Liars & Lunatics was eventually selected from the many entries.
Benson turned to several friends to act in the film, including Christine Estabrook, James Leary (Clem, Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Michael Muhney (Don Lamb, Veronica Mars), and Rayder Woods. Benson herself co-stars in the production.
Dubbed "a convoluted story of lust, deception and accidental murder," this black dramedy plans to hit the film festival circuit before going into wider release.
Set mostly during one long day and night, Lovers, Liars & Lunatics follows a dysfunctional suburban Los Angeles family. Paddy Rayne (Vic Polizos) is the manager of a local retail store who is having an affair with his secretary Gloria (Mia Cottet). Paddy wants to leave his neurotic, highly contemptuous wife Elaine (Christine Estabrook) to live with his mistress. Unfortunately Gloria just wants Paddy's money. He hides the money at home. Gloria calls on her two "associates", Gloria's younger brother Louis (Michael Muhney), and his dim-witted girlfriend Justine (Amber Benson), to rob the Raynes when the house is empty that night.
Elaine figures out the affair and steals Paddy's money from the kitchen cupboard spice bottles. She plans to leave him in the morning. Both cancel their getaway plans to Bakersfield.
Later that night, Louis and Justine arrive at the house to rob it, only to be surprised by finding Paddy and Elaine still there, forcing the inept burglars to tie them up. But soon, Louis and Justine realize they cannot leave, for their getaway car is missing (Justine had accidentally left the drive gear on), plus Paddy's other car is gone (their son Gunner had taken it for his date with Sally). Soon, the couple is bickering at each other. Louis demands to know where they keep their money. Soon, Julian, the couple's other son, walks in and he too is soon tied up. When Gunner and a drunken Sally return from their late-night date, they are also caught at gunpoint and tied up by the increasingly desperate Louis and Justine.
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