"The Lie": An Honest Review

Prime Video

Release Date: October 6, 2020

Nothing brings divorcees back together like murder. One of the first of eight original films (four in 2020, four in 2021) from the “Welcome to the Blumhouse” collection, a collaboration between Blumhouse Television and Amazon Studios, “The Lie” sets a tense foundation for this new set of thrillers. The Blumhouse name has become synonymous with many prominent horror movies released throughout the late 2000's and has found success on a model built on low budgets and director freedom. Not surprisingly, this film has that same low-budget feel, focusing more on its story and character development, rather than special effects or large set pieces.

Coming into this film, my expectations were set by the Blumhouse name and, thus, thought I would get more of a horror film, rather than the psychological thriller with which I was presented. It took a bit for me to get adjusted, but when I did, I found myself pulled into the turmoil. The Lie offers a very simple presence: a daughter confesses to murder and her parents fight to cover it up. The film played like a character study, focusing on the three family members and the turmoils they undergo of hiding a crime that is bound to be discovered. The film thrives on tension and the frantic situation the family is suddenly thrown into. There were times where I felt shades on Netflix's Marriage Story with Adam Driver and Scarlett Johannson, maybe not in regards to the level of depth or acting prowess, but how the interactions of the parents were the primary driver of the plot and the story of the daughter was acted around, rather than focused o

Having taken a quick glance over the other three films set to be released this month, The Lie seems to have the most well-known cast, most notably Peter Sarsgaard (Shattered Glass, Jarhead, The Killing) and Joey King (The Kissing Booth, The Act, The Conjuring). Though she's the youngest of the main cast, Joey King has the best of the acting chops in my opinion (check her out in Hulu's The Act), and she is surprisingly left in the background for a lot of the film. While on screen, she delivers a wonderfully perplexing performance which drives the question of her characters sanity and potentially sociopathic tendencies. But the driving force for the film is the interplay between Peter Sarsgaard and Mireille Enos, who played his ex-wife, both of which previously worked together on "The Killing". Their chemistry seemed instantly revitalized as they were able to hold strong levels of tension, particularity in scenes where their lies were being challenged, all while maintaining the sense of family depth. Joey King taking a backseat in many parts of the movie does not make much sense until the supposed pay off at the end.

I've been a few days removed from watching the film and I am still not sure if I hated the ending or not. It wasn't a terrible twist, but it definitely wasn't original. There are still things left unclear, which bothers me some and may bother others as well. A few different opinions of what the intention described in the ending was have circulated around the internet, none appearing to win the argument of what happened. Some people may find the movie difficult to watch because there isn't a single likable character to attach oneself to. Everyone comes off as selfish, which leads to some very poor decision-making, none of which appear even close in weight to their expected payoffs. What I do like about the film is the play on the title. We think of the “lie” as the concept that drives the plot of the cover up. But there are actually many lies in this film: the parents' lies, the child's lie, and the movie's lie to us. Which lie is the one that matters? Only one way to find out. Considering this is made as a TV movie, is well acted, and succeeds in creating an unsettling feeling, you could do a lot worse getting lost in the sea of streaming movies.

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RATING: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Strengths:

1. Well-acted, strong cast

2. Effective use of tension

Weaknesses:

1. Twist may not feel worth it

2. Every character is unlikeable