Directed by:
Bill CondonScreenplay:
Jeffrey HatcherCinematography:
Tobias A. SchliesslerComposer:
Carter BurwellCast:
Helen Mirren, Ian McKellen, Russell Tovey, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Jim Carter, Mark Lewis Jones, Phil Dunster, Laurie Davidson, Michael Culkin (more)VOD (2)
Plots(1)
Career con artist Roy Courtnay (McKellen) can hardly believe his luck when he meets well-to-do widow Betty McLeish (Mirren) online. As Betty opens her home and life to him, Roy is surprised to find himself caring about her, turning what should be a cut-and-dry swindle into the most treacherous tightrope walk of his life. (Warner Bros. CA)
(more)Reviews (3)
(POSSIBLE SPOILERS!) The Good Liar at first seems like a drama about an experienced con man and his unsuspecting victim, but as the story progresses, you slowly begin to realise that everything is not as black and white as it might at first seem, and that you are dealing with a chilling thriller, dominated by the performances of Ian McKellen and Helen Mirren, who played their roles to perfection. Lies have short legs, and if you're playing a game of cat and mouse with someone, you have to be careful that you're still the dominant creature.
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Something good on the subject of what the film would be like if we had Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen playing the two equal leads? The result is an intriguing thriller that’s just right for those two favorite old actors, with a nice helping of British humor and a witty reference to Inglourious Basterds. I wouldn't even say it was overcomplicated in any way, because the lives of today's seniors are not a linear, colorless fairy tale. Wherever they were born.
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It doesn’t take much to guess what, how and to whom things happen, but thanks to/because of the overly complicated script in the second half of the film, for better or worse, you will see some surprises. Nonetheless, any weak parts or excesses of the screenwriting are saved by Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen when they are playfully uplifting their eyebrows or smiling slightly, and it's a joy to watch them while doing so.
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