The Truth About Lies (2018) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

Gilby confronts his avoidance of adulthood and searches for identity through relationships, work, and an ultimately false paternal revelation.

Story Structure — 4 Plot Phases

Comfort Against Ambition

Gilby describes abandoned ambitions and defends a low-stress life centered on an easy store job. Sharon challenges his refusal to pursue a career or build a shared life.

Key Events

• Imagined Futures — Gilby recalls imagining lives as an astronaut or photographer but lacking confidence and talent. Characters: Gilby Smalls Location: Unspecified
• Resisting Career Definitions — Gilby rejects the idea that a person's value should be defined by occupation. Characters: Gilby Smalls Location: Unspecified
• Comfortable Store Job — Gilby works at an unpleasant but easy store job that helps him avoid stress. Characters: Gilby Smalls Location: Cell phone store
• Sharon Demands Change — Sharon challenges Gilby's refusal to build a career or live with her. Characters: Gilby Smalls, Sharon Location: Unspecified

The Cost of Avoidance

Sharon tells Gilby she has grown beyond him, and the relationship ends. Gilby moves in with May, whose conversations expose his unease about adulthood and responsibility.

Key Events

• The Relationship Ends — Sharon says she has grown beyond Gilby, and their conflict ends the relationship. Characters: Gilby Smalls, Sharon Location: Unspecified
• Staying with May — Gilby stays with his mother while work is being done on his apartment. Characters: Gilby Smalls, May Location: May's home
• Tense Home Conversations — Conversations with May reveal Gilby's discomfort with responsibility, health, and adulthood. Characters: Gilby Smalls, May Location: May's home
• Exploring Work Connections — Gilby explores possible work and social connections, including a psychology-related project. Characters: Gilby Smalls Location: Unspecified

Searching for Identity

Gilby considers work and social opportunities and hears that his lack of a male role model may have affected his identity. He admits that Han Solo was an ideal rather than a real figure in his life.

Key Events

• A Missing Role Model — A woman suggests Gilby's lack of a male role model may have affected his identity. Characters: Gilby Smalls Location: Unspecified
• Han Solo as an Ideal — Gilby says he looked up to Han Solo but had no real male figure in his life. Characters: Gilby Smalls Location: Unspecified
• Meeting Sharon Again — Gilby meets Sharon again after hearing that her life and career are going well. Characters: Gilby Smalls, Sharon Location: Unspecified
• Parting with Mutual Apologies — They apologize and agree that ending their stagnant relationship was probably right, though Gilby still misses her. Characters: Gilby Smalls, Sharon Location: Unspecified

A False Family Revelation

Gilby and Sharon meet again, apologize, and accept that their breakup was probably right. Gilby's attempt to claim a father is undone by a date discrepancy, prompting an angry confrontation with May.

Key Events

• Parting with Mutual Apologies — They apologize and agree that ending their stagnant relationship was probably right, though Gilby still misses her. Characters: Gilby Smalls, Sharon Location: Unspecified
• Claiming a Father — After learning something from May, Gilby tells a man that he is his son. Characters: Gilby Smalls Location: Unspecified
• The Dates Do Not Match — The man's initial welcome collapses when he explains that his Vietnam service in 1969 makes fatherhood impossible. Characters: Gilby Smalls Location: Unspecified
• Confronting May — Gilby accuses May of creating a false father and leaving him with expensive therapy; May invokes Dumbo's magic feather. Characters: Gilby Smalls, May Location: Unspecified

Story Breakdown

• Abandoned Ambitions — Gilby recalls imagined futures but doubts his ability to pursue them.
  • Astronaut Dream — Gilby remembers once imagining himself as an astronaut.
  • Photographer Dream — Gilby also recalls imagining a life as a photographer.
• Comfortable Avoidance — Gilby defends a life that minimizes stress and resists defining worth through work.
  • Easy Store Job — He works at an unpleasant but easy cell phone store.
  • Rejecting Career Pressure — He argues that a person's value should not be measured by occupation.
• Sharon's Challenge — Sharon confronts Gilby's refusal to build a career or share a home with her.
  • Demand for Responsibility — Sharon sees Gilby's attitude as avoidance of responsibility.
  • Relationship Breakup — She says she has grown beyond him, and their relationship ends.
• Life with May — Gilby stays with his mother while work is being done on his apartment.
  • Tense Conversations — Their discussions reveal Gilby's discomfort with responsibility, health, and adulthood.
  • Searching for Work — Gilby explores possible work and social connections, including a psychology-related project.
• Missing Role Model — Gilby considers how the absence of a real male figure may relate to his identity.
  • Identity Suggestion — A woman suggests that the lack of a male role model may have affected Gilby.
  • Han Solo Ideal — Gilby says he looked up to Han Solo but lacked a real male figure in his life.
• Revisiting Sharon — Gilby and Sharon meet again and reassess their former relationship.
  • Sharon's Progress — Gilby hears that Sharon's life and career are going well before they meet.
  • Mutual Apologies — They apologize and agree that ending the stagnant relationship was probably right.
• The False Father — Gilby's apparent paternal reunion collapses when the man's history contradicts the dates.
  • Initial Welcome — The man initially embraces Gilby and calls him his boy.
  • Impossible Dates — The man says his 1969 Vietnam service means he could not have been Gilby's father.
• Confronting the Truth — Gilby challenges May over the false father story, and she responds with a metaphor about finding strength.
  • Angry Accusation — Gilby accuses May of creating a false father and leaving him with expensive therapy.
  • Dumbo's Feather — May suggests Gilby can find strength without the father he thought he needed.

Directed by

Phil Allocco

Key Cast

• Fran Kranz — Gilby Smalls
• Odette Annable — Rachel Stone
• Colleen Camp — May
• Mary Elizabeth Ellis — Sharon
• Chris Diamantopoulos — Eric Stone