Review: The Good Liar

Do yourselves a favour and read this review only after seeing the film. I’m not going to reveal very much information here, but that’s still too much information, so you’re better off – as always if you ask me – reading after viewing. Anyway, on with the plot synopsis and review.

 

Set in 2009, aging con artist Sir Ian McKellen meets wealthy widow Dame Helen Mirren online and arranges for a dinner date for their first face-to-face encounter. He takes Mirren for a sucker, and sees big dollar signs. As he sets about ingratiating himself into her life in the hopes of swindling her (even moving in with her), Mirren’s protective grandson Russell Tovey seems to have McKellen pegged for a shifty bastard from the get-go. Mirren doesn’t seem to be as keen for a romantic/sexual relationship as the rather more randy McKellen, but is nonetheless unable to see him for the crook he truly is. Jim Carter (in solid form) plays McKellen’s criminal partner who pops up from time to time to help conduct ‘business’.

 

Two undoubtable pros square off in this irresistible 2019 film from director Bill Condon (“Gods and Monsters”, “Mr. Holmes”, “Dreamgirls”) and screenwriter Jeffrey Hatcher (“Casanova”, “Mr. Holmes”) from a novel by Nicholas Searle. It’s a damn good yarn, and McKellen (who was in both “Gods and Monsters” and “Mr. Holmes”) hasn’t been this bloody marvellous in years. He seems to relish playing this thoroughly rotten, rather ruthless and cut-throat bastard. It’s the kind of role that any other director would’ve cast Sir Michael Caine in (very fine actor and star that he is), so I’m glad it’s Condon at the helm because it’s so good to see McKellen playing this for all it’s worth. Dame Helen Mirren is also equally convincing in her role. The script is full of twists and turns that although not necessarily unpredictable, are certainly quite unusual and interesting. The biggest twist of all certainly didn’t strike me as something that one could really predict in advance (There is one clue, but I didn’t pick up on it at the time and I don’t think most will, either). The only flaw with the entire film here is a minor one: I think the two leads are a touch too young to be playing the characters they do, even with the film being set 10 years in the past. I’ll say no more on that.

 

Interesting, twisty film even if some of the twists are more predictable than others. Impeccably performed, especially by the two leads. Rock-solid fun with a bit of a nasty edge to it at times. A little underrated, actually.

 

Rating: B-