Professional con artist, Roy Courtnay can’t believe his luck! While browsing a dating site, he meets a wealthy widow, Betty McLeish, who opens her door… and her heart to him.
A love story for the older generation? Not quite. Very quickly, we understand that Roy (Ian McKellen) is more devious, especially when he targets Betty’s (Helen Mirren) bank account. But are things really that simple? Of course not.
Roy embarks on the most delicate mission of his scamming career… But his target also has secrets, with returns to Roy’s troubled past revealed during a trip to Berlin.
The Good Liar is the kind of thriller whose plot hinges entirely on a twist that, unfortunately, one can see coming from miles away.
And yet, The Good Liar can be watched without too much displeasure: Condon’s direction, with its discreet elegance, demonstrates his craftsmanship, and the pace does not falter.
Above all, the film has two aces up its sleeve: Ian McKellen and Helen Mirren. The real pleasure is watching Ian McKellen (Gandalf from “The Lord of the Rings”) and Helen Mirren (Catherine the Great in the series of the same name) exchange lines. As true deceivers, they are perfect.
