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The Good Liar

2019

Bill Condon

Helen Mirren, Ian McKellen, Russell Tovey, Jim Carter ...

5.9

4,047

Mystery. Drama. Comedy Career con artist Roy Courtnay can hardly believe his luck when he meets well-to-do widow Betty McLeish online. As Betty opens her home and life 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.

	Author	Review
United States	Jon Frosch The Hollywood Reporter	"Lots of skill, but no spark (...) [A] proficiently crafted but underwhelming new thriller (...) A 'smart' movie for viewers who don’t want to do any work."	NEU
United States	Owen Gleiberman Variety	"A delectably clever and civilized entertainment that invites us to be as invested in the game as we are in the characters (...) [It is a great pleasure] to watch Mirren and McKellen act together"	POS
United States	Ben Kenigsberg The New York Times	"The real good liar is whoever convinced Mirren and McKellen to class up such thin and arbitrary material."	NEG
United States	David Ehrlich IndieWire	"Pleasant and preposterous in almost precisely equal measure, the film never offers anything less than two all-time British actors having the time of their lives"	NEU
United States	Elizabeth Weitzman The Wrap	"Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen wasted in disappointing crime drama (...) This tale of con-artistry is torpid when it should be thrilling"	NEG
United States	David Fear Rolling Stone	"The real question is: Are you willing to endure all of that random swerving for the simple pleasure of these performers’ company? (…) Rating: ★★ (out of 5)"	NEU
United States	Jesse Hassenger AV Club	"Instead of deepening his material, Condon has made an unsuccessful fling of a movie: fun for a while, but trying to get as far as it can by leaving crucial material off of its profile."	NEU
United Kingdom	Peter Bradshaw The Guardian	"The veteran pair duel hypnotically in a mystery thriller whose occasional silliness is masked by storytelling gusto (…) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"	POS
United Kingdom	Tim Grierson Screendaily	"[It] starts out as an amusing lark but fails to stay ahead of its audience, piling on the ludicrousness until it’s impossible to take the proceedings seriously. Ian McKellen is delightful company"	NEU
United Kingdom	Tim Robey Telegraph	"It’s a plotty film whose plot either makes far-fetched leaps into clichéd historical periods, or shows its working ludicrously (…) Rating: ★★ (out of 5)"	NEG
United Kingdom	David Hughes Empire	"[McKellen and Mirren] are exquisitely matched in this slight but enjoyable yarn, which is like watching two magnificent vintage cars in a road race, without minding too much who wins (…) Rating: ★★★ (out of 5)"	POS
United Kingdom	Edward Porter The Times	"The film carries on for a good while as a watchable Sunday-evening thriller (...) To engineer its climax, though, it comes up with incongruous, overblown flashbacks (…) Rating: ★★ (out of 5)"	NEU
United States	Mark Harrison Den of Geek	"Entertaining grown-up popcorn fare (...) This is a must-see for the electricity between McKellen and Mirren, two greats at the peak of their powers (…) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"	POS
Ireland	Harry Guerin RTÉ	"Mirren and McKellen bring out the best in each other (...) There are plenty more moments to savour (…) Rating: ★★★½ (out of 5)"	POS
Ireland	Tara Brady Irish Times	"Star cast can’t save a film that is a preposterous, uneven mess (...) Everyone involved has made and will make many better films than this one (…) Rating: ★★ (out of 5)"	NEG
Ireland	Paul Whitington Irish Independent	"Though almost plausible at first, Bill Condon’s film becomes ridiculous late on as it plunges into clumsy flashbacks, and Mr. McKellen overacts outrageously throughout (…) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"	NEG
Ireland	Brian Lloyd entertainment.ie	"'The Good Liar' isn't bad enough to be fun, and isn't good enough to warrant your attention. What's left is a missed opportunity and a squandered cast (…) Rating: ★½ (out of 5)"	NEG
Australia	Sandra Hall The Age	"It’s a script so ingeniously put together you can just about forgive the minor inconsistencies that punctuate the action (…) Rating: ★★★½ (out of 5)"	POS

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