Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Good Liar Movie Review

Ian McKellen and Helen Mirren (r) star in The Good Liar

The Power of Place

Rotten Tomatoes Plot: Career con man Roy (Ian McKellen) sets his sights on his latest mark: recently widowed Betty (Helen Mirren), worth millions. And he means to take it all. But as the two draw closer, what should have been another simple swindle takes on the ultimate stakes. Legendary actors Mirren and McKellen star together on screen for the first time in this suspenseful drama about the secrets people keep and the lies they live. Directed by Bill Condon.


Starring: Helen Mirren, Ian McKellen, Russell Tovey, Jim Carter, Mark Lewis Jones and CĂ©line Buckens

What's Good: Mirren & McKellen are fun to watch (Downton Abbey's Jim Carter too) and the story hums along fast enough for an older audience. Good acting + slow story = better than average movie. P.S. Kudos to Tobias A. Schliessler for outstanding cinematography.

What's Not: McKellen says it best, "It's like being smothered in beige." The first hour and a half is relatively boring (I nodded off twice) but stick around for a foreseeable (yet downright creepy) twist towards the end.

Budget: N/A

Runtime: 110 minutes (Feels longer.)

Target Audience: Moviegoers, 60 years and up.

Bottom Line: Mirren is one of the best actors in the business, and McKellen shines as a foil. Unfortunately, their on-screen chemistry is only as good as you're willing to swallow. It makes more sense at the end, but after two naps... perhaps too little, too late.

Grade: C+