Not because the two leads are septuagenarians, but because it has the careful craftsmanship I associate with films or another era.
Roy (McKellen) is an aged con artist taking in Betty (Mirren) a widow with a sizeable bank account.
Roy is all charm and he disarms Betty – or does he? And if she is on to him, she better watch out because Roy is ruthless, as he displays when confronted by one of his earlier victims.
There were moments when I thought I had this movie figured out only to have it take an unexpected turn.
The story is a good one, but the reason to see “The Good Liar” is the acting. Mirren and McKellen are two old pros at the top of their game. Watching them play cat-and-mouse is a pleasure.
Also in the cast is Jim Carter (who was Carson the butler in Downton Abbey).
Really enjoyed this one a week or two back, so I'm glad to hear you did too, Elgin. I loved the book by Nicholas Searle a year or two ago - just long enough that I couldn't recall every twist in the plot. Funny enough, I dug the book out for my wife to read a few months back before I even knew there was a film coming.
ReplyDeleteRe Helen Mirren, I would recommend seeing her and Donald Sutherland in The Leisure Seekers, another great film where they act their age. Based on the book by Michael Zadoorian and another fantastic read.