Early 1970s. Clifford Irving (Richard Gere) has an idea for a book, but his publishers at McGraw-Hill suddenly refuse it. He then promises to deliver them with "the" book of the century: the autobiography of Howard Hughes. Except Irving... has never met the man!
With the help of his friend Dick Suskind (Alfred Molina), Cliff comes up with credible lies, thus leading his publishers to accept his manuscript. Will they ever figure out that it is all a hoax?
Gere and Molina pull off wonderful performances. Hope Davis, the publicist contact, and Marcia Gay Hayden, Cliff's wife, are both excellent. Well-cast, and well-directed.
The script is a little thin since the plot is predictable (and at times repetitive), even without knowing absolutely nothing of these "actual events" on which the movie is based.
Appropriate soundtrack, and great cinematography that really shows the 1970s.
An enjoyable drama.
7/10