For aspiring musician Ricky (Rob Raco of The CW’s Riverdale), a career breakout would not only reassure himself of his personal aspirations but the fame and fortune could also benefit his sick mother. Unfortunately, as a bartender who is constantly disrespected by his boss and getting shorted on hours, he’s often discouraged and frustrated by the lack of hope.

Ricky’s griping about feeling unfulfilled gets the attention of co-worker Damien (Dana Abraham). The olive branch Damien offers Ricky is a special meeting with a music producer, Terrence (Branadon McKnight of I’ll Take Your Dead), who Damien has a special relationship with. At first, Ricky’s music isn’t Terrence’s “vibe”. But with more practice and convincing (along with some other strings attached), Terrence warms up to Ricky’s pop rock and, together, carve out a possible career path for the struggling barkeep.

Set against the busy hustle of Toronto, A Hundred Lies isn’t a groundbreaking rags-to-riches indie, but it is “good enough” – until it isn’t. Similar to 2019’s Teen Spirit, A Hundred Lies reinforces the theory that with enough talent behind the camera and excitement in front of the lens, a film can persevere through its more generic qualities. The production’s press notes want us to know that Raco “wrote the lyrics for the film’s original soundtrack”, and the repeat reminders lead me to believe that the film primarily exists for the actor to stretch as a performer and artist. However, A Hundred Lies doesn’t come across as a vanity project either because Raco is genuinely skilled. We hear Raco’s songs throughout the movie, maybe too often, and the songs are genuinely catchy and match his moody character. Ricky’s arc does fall into clichés, sometimes replicating Bradley Cooper’s remake of A Star Is Born to a tee. But for as goofy as the movie occasionally is, it’s hard not to get swept up in Ricky’s success.

However, the tried-and-true dream-chasing formula is much more forgivable than tired underground crime tropes. As Ricky is distracted by new opportunities and popular gigs on tour, secretive dealings are going on offstage that indulge gangster stereotypes and over-the-top “intimidating” dialogue. An innocuous recommendation becomes sullied by the film’s try-hard final act that vacuums the fun out of an otherwise harmless flick.

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Addison Wylie: @AddisonWylie