Taste Good to be True
Directed by Joseph Avery Dado
Release Date: January 17, 2025
Starring: Matthew He, Linnea Edwards, Gerasimia Moudolou, Mateus Oliveira Borges, & Felissa Sotomayor
Synopsis: When Matthew lies about being able to cook for his girlfriend, he is pressured to deliver on the lie, and some unexpected events make for an unforgettable dinner.
Director’s Statement
The idea for A Deceptive Dinner actually came to me in two everyday moments. First, I was wandering around a Chinese grocery store and spotted a shopping cart. I instantly imagined a cool, cinematic cart shot I had seen on Instagram. Later, while cooking my favorite meal, Fettuccine Alfredo with grilled chicken, the story fully came to life in my head. It was about a guy lying to his girlfriend about his cooking skills in this age where takeout and Uber Eats make pretending almost effortless. I have even caught myself doing it, so I could really relate.
I wanted the film to be fun but tense at the same time, to explore the small lies we tell and the ripple effects they can have on someone we care about. At the same time, I wanted to push the boundaries stylistically, playing with bold, flashy colors and strange, experimental edits to give the audience a sense of Matthew’s lies through Lawrence’s performance. Humor sneaks in during the most serious moments, creating this strange, deliberate mix of comedy and drama.
This was also my biggest project yet, bringing together eight cast and crew members. Working on it taught me so much about collaboration and helped me expand my network with actors and creatives I had not worked with before. Ultimately, this film is as much about the story on screen as it is about the journey of making it and experimenting with new ways to tell a story.
Production
After the release of Chaotic Productions, Dado developed several ideas for his next short film. One idea came to him while walking through a grocery store. The concept followed a teenager shopping for ingredients to cook a meal for his girlfriend. The theme of deception as a source of suspense emerged later, drawing inspiration from noir and thriller films. Aïcha Diallo joined the project as producer and offered her home as a filming location. Production began on October 19, 2024, and wrapped on December 11, 2024.
Release
The film officially released on YouTube January 17, 2025. It was originally supposed to be release on January 10, 2025 but due to post-production issues, it was pushed back to its current date.
Scripts
First Draft
Final Script
