Lie to Me

It's Black Friday, the post-Thanksgiving kick-off

into the holiday shopping season.

And retailers are advertising even deeper discounts this year,

trying to lure cash-strapped consumers.

All managers to their departments.

All managers to their departments.

All right, who wants to save some money?

Doors opening in 5 minutes.

Where is it?

Maybe your wallet's in the car?

I swear, it was in my jacket.

Save our place.

Excuse me.

Pardon me.

All right, when I say "digital," you say "recorder."

Digital!

Recorder!

Digital! Recorder!

For an extra 100, how can we not go with the 50 inch?

How about an "excuse me," bitch?

Aah!

Open the doors! Open the doors, dammit!

Did calculus get harder since we took it?

That's what I said.

That's all right, I'll just figure it out myself.

I mean, you'd think with the intellectual stock I come from, though.

Apples always fall further from the tree than you think.

There's something to be grateful for, right?

How was Thanksgiving?

Oh, you know, dad lectured...

I did not lecture.

Mom fretted. I didn't lecture.

So much to be thankful for.

I mean, don't you think I'm getting a little old

for make-believe family holidays?

Well, that's how your mom likes it, love.

Heh. You're a little odd.

Why?

The apron.

I think it's becoming.

Hey, uh, dad, Gill,

this is Max Roland.

Apparently he's 16 and a big fan of your book.

Over here. Now!

He's a complete stranger.

My address isn't listed. How'd you find me?

Online.

I just need half an hour of your time, Dr. Lightman.

You got 2 minutes.

My parents have lied to me my whole life about who I am.

I'm not their kid.

Who are you, then?

This kid. James Knox.

The James Knox?

Well, how do you know you're him?

Look at the scar.

James Knox has one just like it.

We've all got scars. You want to see mine?

Look.

I took a DNA sample from my parents.

All right, I'm not a match.

Their story of how I was born,

it doesn't make sense.

I can't spend another Christmas

with people who might have stolen me.

Please.

I have $500.

This is all I have to pay you.

Will you talk to my parents?

I have to know the truth.

Want a sandwich?

If he really is James Knox,

he's in a very difficult spot, psychologically.

We need to handle this carefully.

Well, don't we always?

I can't believe you took his money.

Well, he wanted me to take him seriously.

I am.

Who holds interviews on a holiday weekend?

Be patient. Max really wants this.

Hey. Hey.

Ready to interview my parents? They're getting antsy.

I'm not gonna interview your parents, you are.

I thought you said you were gonna help me.

No, look. If you want to know the truth,

you ask the questions, all right?

So no "yes or no" phrasing.

And look at me. Look at me.

Don't back down.

Max, you don't have to do this.

It said in your book,

the best interrogations are when you can watch,

you don't have to ask the questions.

I want the best.

All right, well, that's what you paid for.

Hey, uh, it'll just be a few more minutes.

They're in with some of the other nominees.

You look nervous.

What's wrong?

Look, I know I'm not your son. Who am I?

Oh! This again?

Max, not here.

There's no pictures of me as a newborn.

It doesn't make any sense.

You were born in Ecuador.

Mom had you premature. We've told you all this.

You went to Ecuador pregnant?

I'm sorry, but that doesn't sound like something

a smart mom would do.

I think I know better than you

what a mother would and wouldn't do.

He said "mom," she said "mother."

Distancing language. Yeah.

I ordered a DNA test online.

I took hairs from your brushes.

I just got the results back.

I'm not related to either of you.

Nice fear on both of them.

Max, what the hell is going on?

What is this?

Mr. and Mrs. Roland, I'm Gillian Foster.

I'm a psychologist with the Lightman Group.

What is this place?

Max came to us. He needs our help.

Max, we're leaving.

Mr. Lightman, they're lying, right?

They're lying.

Max, now.

Go.

You may have just sent him home with his abductors.

Where's Reynolds?

Still in South Carolina.

Well, that's one problem solved.

The other one's the cops. We can't call them.

If the cops or press or FBI

get wind that someone who may be James Knox surfaced,

I mean, the vultures will pick Max to pieces.

we have to protect him.

And we have to talk to the Knoxes.

What?

Finally got you thinking like a criminal.

Wonders will never cease.

If this thing goes south,

you're putting up my bail.

Michigan 2005.

Shoppers burst through the doors of a major retail chain

'causing multiple injuries.

India 2008.

Rumors of a landslide at a Hindu temple cause panic.

About 140 people lose their lives trying to escape.

Los Angeles.

Lakers fans celebrate a championship by looting and rioting.

About a million dollars worth of property damage to local businesses.

In every example, the violence was instigated by someone in the crowd.

What are you proposing, Mr. Loker?

2 of your customers died.

Dozens were injured.

People are looking for a scapegoat,

and digital corner's an easy target.

What if I could prove your company wasn't at fault?

Cases like this turn on comparative negligence.

If the stampede was crowd induced,

It would reduce the settlement considerably.

This is the raw feed from Channel 3.

Notice the dad showing his boys how to lock arms

and form a phalanx.

They... what, they expected violence?

Well, convergence theory says that if crowds act aggressively,

it's because people bring an aggressive mindset to it.

And in the close-ups, you can see their faces.

They're identical to those of athletes during competition.

This crowd was a powder keg and somebody in it was the spark.

Maybe so, but we can't have our name dragged through the press

During our busy shopping season.

We're planning on settling first thing Monday morning.

How much are you expecting to pay out?

20 million, give or take.

Give me a few days to prove my thesis before you settle.

If I can trace the stampede to somebody in the crowd,

the Lightman Group gets 10% of what you save.

You save us 10 million, you earn one.

And if you pay the full 20,

we don't see a dime.

Hey, how'd it go with the suits?

Well, we got the job. Where were you?

None of your bloody business.

I figured you were up to it, so.

It's probably a gross overestimation on my part.

I appreciate the confidence boost.

Well, selling's the easy part.

It's delivering, that's the trick.

And that's what you promised.

So you and torres are on your own.

Think you're up for it?

I've read every major study on group behavior cover to cover.

This is my wheelhouse.

Fascinating.

Well, time will tell.

Any more words or inspiration?

Yeah. We need the money. And don't embarrass me.