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Review

Based on John Guare's acclaimed Broadway play (which was inspired by a strange but true story), this witty and involving exploration of self-deception is an exhilarating comedy.

The charismatic Smith plays a gay con man who ingratiates himself into the households of several rich New Yorkers by claiming to be the son of Sidney Poitier. One of those scammed is art dealer Sutherland and his wife Channing (brilliantly re-creating her award-winning stage role). As they recount their experiences in a series of anecdotal flashbacks, they play detective, ultimately learning the truth about their charming hoaxster.

Guare, who wrote his own screenplay adaptation, has fashioned a modern masterwork dissecting the classes, race relations and, to a lesser degree, our desire as a society to appear in the film version of "Cats."

Smith caused a bit of a controversy with the gay community when he refused to do an on-screen kiss with another man. (Strangely, he had no problem with looking co-star Eric Thal in the eyes and saying that he wants to fuck him.)