TRUTH BE TOLD (2011) Movie Review

Family Movie Night continues to premiere its fifth family fun film on FOX. Truth Be Told is an excellent film that teaches the vital importance of honest relationships through an ironic story about single Annie Morgan who hires a widowed father to pose as her husband in order to enhance her career as a marriage counselor.

Due to a simple misunderstanding, she finds herself caught in a lie that sends her an opportunity she cannot dismiss, so she recruits her old college friend, Mark Crane, to pose as her husband for a weekend. They begin the weekend with every intention of coming clean, but they cannot find the opportunity to do so. However, the longer they wait to tell the truth, the more difficult it becomes.

As the plot thickens, we discover Mark and Annie’s ruse isn’t the only one in play. What’s worse is how their lies affect the people they love. When Annie talks about how lies erode relationships, I don’t think she was strictly referring to marriage. Any kind of relationship can be eroded by lies including friends, family, and even business relationships.

For example, Mark and Annie are so wrapped up with their personal intentions that they become unaware of the effects it has on his daughter who struggles with the loss of her own mother. It’s not until girl runs away that the others see how destructive their lies had gotten. In the end Mark and Annie learn that they should have been honest. Honest with the others, honest with each other, and honest with themselves. They would have discovered their values without the use of their ruse.

Truth Be Told is an important story from which we all can learn. Lies are destructive despite how unintentional they may be. Annie’s lie may have started as a simple misunderstanding, but she chose not to correct it until she was completely consumed by it. It nearly cost her everything including a relationship with Mark.

The Bible teaches us that God expects us to be honest with each other. As a result our conscious will be clear and our lives will be blessed. Don’t be concerned about what others think of you. The important thing is what God thinks of you. If you live honestly, then you can be proud about who you are.