ONE of the more interesting films coming our way next year from independent circles is Sleeping Dogs Lie, an absurd tragi-comedy that won many friends among London Film Festival goers.

Written and directed by former Police Academy star Bobcat Goldthwait, the film follows the fortunes of Amy (Melinda Page Hamilton), a 26-year-old woman who harbours the dark, even twisted secret that she once performed an act of bestiality in her days as a lonely, confused student.

Desperate to impress her fiancé John (Bryce Johnson) and to keep things completely honest between them, she confesses the secret during a moment of intimate honesty between the both of them. But no sooner has she uttered the words, then her romantic and familial relations begin to crumble, especially when Amy is faced with an awkward visit to her uptight, suburban parents.

The most striking thing about Sleeping Dogs Lie is the way that it takes such a zany premise and turns it into something that’s both funny and emotionally involving, in spite of its distinctly low-budget and independent feel.

Shot with a mini digital camera in just a few days, and put together using contributions from the film crew itself, it’s a warmhearted feature that makes light of the crazy idea behind it.

What’s more, it boasts a genuinely noteworthy performance from Hamilton, who looks set to become an actress of genuine worth. Desperate Housewives may recognise her as a mischievous nun from the second season of the hit show, while she’s also had prominent guest spots on top-rated shows such as Nip/Tuck and CSI (both Miami and New York).

But in her first feature film she positively shines, providing audiences with a character that’s genuinely endearing and worth rooting for. So don’t let the apparently crude subject matter put you off, it’s an engaging affair that has already become one of the surprise hits of this year’s film festivals.

Go see it – you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Just bare in mind that not every secret from the past is worth revealing – even if it is to the one you love!!!

Visit our photo gallery of the London premiere

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