The Good Liar-2019
Director Bill Condon
Starring Ian McKellen, Helen Mirren
Scott’s Review #1,201
Reviewed November 26, 2021
Grade: B+
The Good Liar (2019) is a well-acted film, but by the numbers, the thriller is made as well as it can be, thanks to superior acting. Casting British heavyweights Ian McKellen and Helen Mirren automatically provides enough star power and credibility to save any lame plot.
This is the first time the actors have appeared in a film together, though they have appeared on stage together.
The film moves briskly, and there is never a moment of boredom. While the main storyline at first is intriguing, the inevitable twist at the end is satisfying. Suspension of disbelief is required, and a portion of the backstory is unnecessary.
Nothing is as it seems.
Roy Courtnay (McKellen) is a dashing career con man. He is suave and used to getting what he wants out of people, to their advantage and disadvantage. He cagily dips into the online dating pool and stumbles upon an older woman named Betty McLeish (Mirren) ripe for the picking.
She is rich, divorced, and lonely.
What could go wrong?
As Betty opens her life and home 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.
Betty’s grandson, Steven (Russell Tovey), constantly annoys Roy when he questions Roy’s intentions and urges his grandmother to be wary of the man.
As the plot began, I kept thinking that there was no way Betty could be so gullible, lonely, or not. This kept me engaged until the big reveal that filled the final thirty minutes or so. If The Good Liar did not contain something more than the banal plot, it would have been a real dud.
To continue with the storyline element, Betty’s ultimate motivations, while clever, are hard to believe. Not to ruin any plot points, but the whole Nazi component from the 1940s feels superfluous and easy. The revenge motives feel extremely plot-driven and are meant as a thrown-in explanation.
From a timeline perspective, it also doesn’t make much sense. If events take place during present times, it would put Roy and Betty in their 90s! The characters are assumed to be in their mid-70s.
Despite Roy being the villain, I fell in love with him. His shenanigans appealed to me despite my better judgment. His trickery when he feigns a knee injury to manipulate Betty while dashing into a corporate meeting minutes later was enamoring instead of mortifying.
The chemistry between McKellen and Mirren is tremendous. Both actors know how to carry a film and are confident in their abilities. This comes across onscreen, and the romantic element works.
The Good Liar also gets respect from me for featuring actors in their golden years in leading roles.
Bill Condon has directed various films, including Chicago (2002) and Dreamgirls (2006). The Good Liar is hardly on this level or one of his finest, but the director adds enough seasoning to assure a compelling experience.
The locales of London and later Berlin, Germany, are robust and a treat for any viewer who is partial to international filming—I am! Plenty of busy London streets and German architecture appear during the film.
McKellen and Mirren’s slickness and excellent acting save The Good Liar (2019) from the drivel it might have been with lesser actors and inferior direction. Instead, it’s a clever film that toys with its viewers, keeping them engaged until the end.
