THE GOOD LIAR
UK, 2019, 109 minutes, Colour.
Helen Mirren, Ian Mc Kellen, Russell Tovey, Jim Carter, Mark Lewis Jones.
Directed by Bill Condon.
Surnames, in big letters, as large as the letters for the title, Mirren and Mc Kellen, indicate that this is a film not for young audiences who may or may not know the stars, but from an older audience who appreciate the long careers and the performances.
And this is certainly the case here. Some audiences may consider the plot has its light moments, or its obvious moments, or anticipated something of the twists. But, there will probably be unanimity in the quality of the performances and the enjoyment of watching the two stars at work, a great deal of subtlety, the moments of interconnectedness.
With the title, and the initial information given about Roy Courtney, we are in no doubt that he is a villain. As we go through the film, he has no redeeming features, is completely reprehensible (and, eventually, more so than we might have anticipated). There might be a moment of sympathy as we see him finally, but that probably evaporates also.
Roy Courtney is Ian Mc Kellen. In the last 20 years, Ian Mc Kellen has had great opportunities for showing that he can be a villain on screen (sometimes obliterated by his sympathetic presence as Gandalf), but Bryan singer was able to draw the evil and sinister out of him as Magneto in several of the Ex-Men’s? stories but, relevant to this film is his most sinister, ex-Nazi character in Apt Pupil. This time his directed by Bill Condon, writer and Dir of musicals and dramas, who worked with McKellen? in Gods and Monsters, where Mc Kellen played the famous film director (Frankenstein), James Whale.
By contrast, Helen Mirren is charmingly sedate for most of the film, a widow, enchanted by the conman, his making her come alive. Of course, it is in the latter part of the film, that there is more complexity and her character, where she is able to control a situation, simply sitting in a chair with a threatening iPad in her hand.
Much of the latter part of the film is unexpected, enjoyably so. There are some significant sequences in Berlin, touches of the touristic, touches of the mysterious. But, it is the mysterious, based on the increasingly monstrous behaviour of Roy Courtney, that audiences can look forward to and enjoy.
The cast is comparatively small – although there are several characters, British financiers who want to be involved in a shady deal, Russian financiers who are not what they seem, seems exposing what a schema Roy Courtney is. And he is aided and abetted by his crony, posing as a financial adviser, Vincent, with Jim Carter having time off for his years of long service at Downton Abbey. Russell Tovey appears as Betty McLeish’s? grandson who has her interests at heart.
This is the kind of film, from Britain (though with an American director) which settles us in London, has an excursion to Berlin, has its romantic moments, at its ugly violent moments, has its satisfactory emotional ending (if one is after justice) and is more than enhanced by two superb performances.
1. The title? As applied to Roy? Ultimately, to Betty?
2. The London settings, homes, restaurants, shops, the streets? The excursion to Berlin, the building, the city side, memories of the war? The flashbacks, to Germany in 1943, to 1948? The musical score?
3. The introduction to Roy, Ian Mc Kellen’s presence, his working with Vincent, his plans, frauds, the Internet and his image, his name, telling Betty the truth? The date, the meal, the talk? His assessing her? The plan to swindle her? The further outings, her enjoying his company? Stephen as her grandson, his reactions? Her happiness with Roy, intimations of her illness, her wealth,? Holiday to Berlin, going back home and happy there?
4. Roy, his forwards, the two British men in their investment, the setup, the performance, Vincent presiding, the two Russians, the insult, their walking out, the return, greater investment? The staging of the raid, the British men fleeing? The irony of the Sherrard, the men as Russians, as butchers? The later confrontation with Roy and demanding the money? Roy and his cunning, the pursuit, the death and the underground?
5. Berlin, the visit, Stephen, his study, research, discovering Roy’s identity? The confrontation, Roy and his explanation of what it happened, 1948, the mission, Hands talk to a UB, the confrontation in the apartment, the shops, the German’s death, Roy taking over his identity? A new personality? The return to England, decades of success as Roy Courtney?
6. The plan, sweet-talking Betty, the plan to combine the accounts, Vincent presiding, Vincent in himself, challenged by Roy, saying that he was in on the fraud? Presiding? The transaction? Betty and her reaction, Roy’s reaction? The irony of the getting to Vincent?
7. The story of his son, Roy going to meeting, taking the iPad, at the hotel, seeing that it was gone, his return, Betty confronting him in the empty house?
8. Betty, calm, with the iPad, cancelling the money? The flashbacks to her past, the girl, her sisters, Heinz and his teaching English, aged 15, trusted by their father, the attempted rape of Lily (the symbolism of the password of lilies)? His smooth talk with the family, his reporting them to the Nazis, the arrest?
9. The role of Stephen, his partner, the company? Helping Betty, security? The confrontation with Roy, the attack, his injuries?
10. Roy in care, Vincent’s visit? Betty and her vengeance?
