Imaginary Crimes

Imaginary Crimes is a 1994 American period drama film directed by Anthony Drazan, and starring Harvey Keitel, Fairuza Balk, Kelly Lynch, Vincent D'Onofrio, Seymour Cassel, and Elisabeth Moss. An adaptation of Sheila Ballantyne's 1982 semi-autobiographical novel of the same name, it follows a widowed con artist attempting to raise his two daughters in 1962 Portland, Oregon. Plot In 1962 Portland, Oregon, widowed, charismatic con artist Ray Weiler is raising his two daughters, teenaged Sonya and young Greta. His wife, Valery, died several years prior after a protracted battle with cancer. Ray spends his time constructing grandiose but unrealistic business ideas, and consistently manages to shuck financial responsibility. Though always developing a new enterprise, Ray was unable to afford his family more than a basement apartment for much of the girls' childhood. After Valery's death, Ray spiraled into a deep depression, and moved the family into a transient hotel in downtown Portland. With the help of her father's persuasiveness, Sonya is able to enroll for her senior year at the elite Edgemont Academy, a preparatory school her mother also attended. She soon befriends Margaret, one of her classmates, and is taken under the wing of Mr. Webster, an English teacher who praises Sonya's writing abilities. One day, after being pestered by their landlord of their father's unpaid rent, Ray returns home with a large sum of money that he has acquired through a money laundering scheme involving a local mining company; Ray became involved through his fellow con artists, Eddie and Jarvis. Ray pays off his debts, and takes his daughters out for ice cream to celebrate. Mr. Webster persuades Sonya to take college exams, despite the fact that Sonya cannot realistically afford to attend university. After applying to several colleges, Sonya is accepted by the University of California, Berkeley. Several days later, Jarvis arrives at the family's house with a gun, accusing Ray of having stolen money from him. Shortly after, Bud, the father of one of Sonya's classmates, presses charges against Ray for conning him out of money under the guise of a business investment. Ray is subsequently charged with grand larceny and fraud. After Mr. Webster puts up money for Ray's bail, Ray devises a plan to flee Portland and start a new life in Reno, Nevada, which infuriates Sonya.