The Good Liar

This review may contain spoilers!

This is one of those classic con artist films that is only enhanced by the stellar character driven performances from its two veteran lead performers. I would give The Good Liar an 8/10.

The Good Liar follows career conman, Roy Courtnay, as he attempts to swindle his latest mark, widow Betty McLeish, out of her millions. Yet Roy must work with all his tricks to pull off such a caper and soon learns that some secrets are better left in the past. This film is one of those exquisite examples of character driven narratives, these are two very complex individuals who complement one another nicely. Roy is a serpent, throws around lies convincingly and manages to appear charming on the surface. He's a strong contrast to Betty who comes across as a naive older widow, somewhat alone in the world and desperately seeking company. I was really drawn to the way the film slowly peels back the layers on this pair and allows you to examine them further. Roy grows more and more vile while also appearing vulnerable; while Betty has a cunning streak to her that plays nicely into the back half of the film. The cinematography is spectacular, very intimate and captures every minute detail of these powerful character performances. The score for the film crafts a brilliant web of intrigue, it is deeply reminiscent of the melancholy film noirs of old.

Ian McKellen, who played Roy Courtnay, was a slippery and vile character throughout the feature; just the lengths this role goes to for his own personal gain makes this perhaps one of the most interesting and vile roles McKellen has played in years. Russell Tovey, who played Stephen, is a very principled role who cares greatly for Mirren's Betty; Tovey's approach to unmasking Roy is brash and without forethought at times making him an easy rival for the central antagonist. Jim Carter, who played Vincent, has a really solid onscreen chemistry with McKellen and the two run a convincing con partnership; Carter has this great moment in the film where he meets a crossroads and has to act out the struggle he's facing. Laurie Davidson and Phil Dunster, who played Hans Taub and Roy Courtnay respectively, work in tandem well to show a pair of young men hardened by the war; Davidson in particular does a good at showing a man deeply jaded and disenchanted with his own country's identity, as well as his own. Spike White and Nell Williams, who played younger Hans Taub and Lili respectively, do a great job as young performers at portraying one of the most horrifying and vulnerable scenes of the film; White's portrayal of this twisted, malevolent young boy makes everything about Taub/Courtnay come together.

However, the best performance came from Helen Mirren, who played Betty McLeish. Betty comes across as a little naive and unsure at first, cautious when it comes to the dating game but hoping desperately to find companionship. Mirren does a very good job at showing an open sense of both vulnerability and compassion when it comes to this role, you understand her entirely and tend to care a lot about her. Yet as more of Roy's past emerges and his con begins to look more and more likely to succeed the character of Betty develops too. A distance suddenly appears between Roy and Betty and history between the two becomes very apparent. One of the final monologues Mirren gives reveals everything about the pair and is one of the most satisfying character performances I have seen this year.

The Good Liar hinges a lot on two plot point: the big reveal and these flashbacks to the 1940s. The big reveal for the film is incredibly satisfying to see play out but the film doesn't do a great job of concealing what is coming, and the ultimate way things play out fails to surprise in a big way. Furthermore, the film journeys back to the 1940s twice in the film but it takes over half the film to start doing this, making these very important scenes feel quite jarring to watch. The editing for the film sets a slow pace, which certainly made sense for the tone of the piece but there were some inevitable moments where things dragged.

Mark Lewis Jones and Lucian Msamati, who played Bryn and Beni respectively, are these stoic background roles who are only present as a visual con to showcase the criminal element of this film; Msamati in particular never displays a great range of emotion or style in his role.