DANGEROUS LIES
US, 2020, 96 minutes, Colour.
Camilla Mendes, Jessie T.Usher, Elliot Gould, Cam Gigandet, Jamie Chung, Sasha Alexander, Michael P. Northey.
Directed by Michael Scott.
In comparison with many other thrillers, this one, despite its title, is rather mild. Which means that the average audience might be able to sit through it comfortably and enjoy it. On the other hand, there is a lot of commentary about its being too mild.
Camilla Mendes and Jessie T Usher play married couple, Katie and Adam, she working in a diner, he studying, but falling on difficult financial times even after he does some heroics in stopping a robbery in the diner. By this time, she is a carer for an elderly gentleman, Leonard, who lives alone in a mansion. He is played by Elliot Gould (the character being 88 but Gould being 80 the time of filming). He dies and there are all kinds of complications, money stored in a chest in the Attic, an estate agent visiting and pressing Katie for a sale. An unexpected lawyer (Jamie Chung) who announces that Leonard has left everything to Katie. Then the police investigate the death, are suspicious of the couple. Adam begins to enjoy the inheritance that Leonard has left them, becoming extravagant.
Ultimately, there is a background story of a diamond robbery, a murder, violent threats to the couple and a mixture of happy and unhappy ending.
1. The title? The characters and their lies? The consequences of lies?
2. The setting, the city, diners, mansions, police precincts? Musical score?
3. Introducing Katie, at working the diner, flirting with Adam, married? The episode in the diner, Adam intervening, the death? The police, acclaim as a hero?
4. Four months later, Adam giving up his studies, the financial difficulties, the tensions? Katie and her working for Leonard, friendship, care, discussing her money situation, his giving her the cheque? The issue of banking it or not? The later repercussions, banking it the day before Leonard died?
5. Leonard, Elliot Gould, genial old man, his mansion, the family traditions? Enjoying Katie's company? Care? The money? The discussions with Adam, hiring him to work in the garden?
6. The suddenness of Leonard's death? The police intervention and enquiry? The revelation that he had been killed, Hayden's presence in the house? Hayden's visit, real estate, the pressure on Katie? His return? Threats?
7. Adam finding the chest of money, decisions, taking it? Adam later hiding it? Katie's conscience?
8. Julia's arrival, the will, leaving everything to Katie? Including the house? The detective and her suspicions? Interrogations?
9. The discovery of the dead body, the diamonds? The speculation about the situation, Hayden and his connection, the murder?
10. Suspicions about Adam's alleged complicity in the crime at the diner? Later being exonerated?
11. The cremation, the sadness? Further suspicions about Leonard's death?
12. Hayden in the house, Julia arriving, the confrontation with the guns, Adam being shot, his shooting Hayden? Julia and her threats? The detective arriving, shooting Julia? Adam's death?
13. Four months later, Katie working in the garden, case closed? And the glimmer of the diamonds in the compost around the tree?
14. The plot and treatment? Complications? Red herrings?
