The Good Liar (2019)

The Good Liar is the kind of sleek, grown-up thriller that reminds you how electrifying great actors can be when a movie gives them room to play, and watching Ian McKellen and Helen Mirren circle each other is pure cinematic pleasure. Bill Condon stages the con like an elegant dance—witty, tense, and quietly stylish—where every smile feels like a move and every pause might be a trap. The vibe is intimate and slightly wicked, more about psychological games and shifting power than cheap shocks, even as it keeps a sharp edge when the stakes rise. It’s not for everyone if you want a purely straightforward crime story, but if you enjoy smart performances, crackling chemistry, and a twisty night at the movies, this one earns your attention.

The Good Liar is aiming for an old-school, twisty con-game thriller, anchored by the sheer pleasure of watching Ian McKellen and Helen Mirren circle each other with charm and menace. The problem is that the plot keeps stacking “gotcha” turns that can feel engineered rather than earned, so the suspense starts to play like a script showing its work instead of a story tightening the noose. If you need your crime movies to be plausible and emotionally grounded, the late-game escalations may come off hollow and a bit arbitrary, even with the prestige packaging. Still, if you’re mainly here for two elite actors trading barbs and vibes in a slick, adult-minded thriller, it’s a watchable ride—just don’t expect the mystery mechanics to hold up under scrutiny.