Director:
Bill Condon
Writer:
Jeffrey Hatcher
Starring:
Helen Mirren
Ian McKellen
Russell Tovey
Jim Carter
Blurb:
Consummate con man Roy Courtnay has set his sights on his latest mark: the recently widowed Betty McLeish, worth millions. But this time, what should have been a simple swindle escalates into a cat-and-mouse game with the ultimate stakes.
Review:
**Trigger warning for rape**
I’ve had The Good Liar on my to-watch list on HBO for a while. Mainly because I love Helen Mirren, and with the inclusion of Ian McKellen, I knew the movie had to be good. I was not wrong.
You discover fairly quickly that McKellen’s character is a con man. It takes you a little bit longer to learn just how far he’s willing to take it. I was shocked to see it, but it made the twist at the end absolutely believable.
Mirren’s character, Betty, came off as smart and capable. She seemed to be looking more for companionship than love. She wasn’t a pushover, but she was trusting. Still, I loved that she noticed when he slipped up in his con. It was always little things that could easily be explained away, but she noticed them. She was sharp.
I won’t reveal the twist, but I definitely didn’t see it coming. The ending was a great payoff after the twist was revealed, too, so things weren’t ended on a sour note. The Good Liar was an entertaining film that I’m glad I could take the time to watch.
4/5
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