Hartley's early feature film is filled with obvious symbolism, but it is still a delight to watch. Hal's talent for casting the perfect characters is evident from the beginning of his career. Adrienne Shelley is a near-perfect foil to herself, displaying both annoying teenage behavior and a burgeoning sexuality. She is obsessed with doom and inspired by idealism gone wrong, making her character deceptively complex and simple at the same time. Audrey, her character, is so rich in symbolism that it almost becomes embarrassing (e.g., her modeling career starting with photos of her feet, her move to Manhattan, her trip to Europe, and her stealing and sleeping with the mechanic's wrench). Robert Burke gives an absolutely masterful performance as Josh, a reformed prisoner who returns to his hometown to face his past demons and start a new life. Dressed in black and often mistaken for a priest, Josh corrects everyone by saying he is a mechanic. The symbolism surrounding his character is rich: he abstains from alcohol, practices celibacy (and is actually a virgin), and seems to have taken vows of poverty and humility. At times, his humility seems almost false and pretentious, but as we learn more about Josh, we see the genuineness in his modesty. His humility is earnest and believable, which is ironic considering the viewer's desire to make him out to be more than he actually is. Josh is a fascinatingly written character and is perfectly played.The scene between Josh and Jane (played by a wonderful young Edie Falco) is hilarious and feels real. However, Hartley's trick of having the actors repeat the dialogue over and over becomes frustratingly"arty" and annoying, until it becomes hilarious again. This adds a terrific sense of bizarre reality to the film, similar to kids in a perpetual"am not" and"are too" argument.Hartley weaves all the idiosyncrasies of a small neighborhood into a tapestry of seeming stereotypes, but the film delves far beneath the surface. The catalyst for this exploration is the fact that everyone believes they know the"unbelievable truth" of the title, yet no two people can agree on what exactly that truth is. This is a wonderful little movie with some big ideas.
