Synopsis:
When their teenaged daughter confesses to impulsively killing her best friend, two desperate parents attempt to cover up the horrific crime, leading them into a complicated web of lies and deception.
What lengths would go to, to protect your child? I’m sure most of us would do anything we had to, no matter the consequences. Well that all sounds good in theory, but what if you knew they were the guilty party in a murder? We never think we’ll be in the situation but when it does happen, are you turning your child into the authorities or living a lie for the rest of your life? The Lie is exactly that scenario and then some. Its dreary and frustration-infused tone perfectly matches the situation the film leads us into. The film initially feels like a epic thriller, however, it turns into more of a dramatic mystery as it progresses.
The premise itself is interesting and having thought of similar scenarios, the film does a good job of put you in the parents’ shoes. It shows how quickly our morals and personality can be flipped on their head when we want to protect our own. Anyone can be a villain. The cinematography was great and I loved the setting. The film did get a bit slow at times but I think it’s conclusion makes up for it. Overall, with some strong performances, The Lie is a good film. It really makes you think. It’s rewatchability is a medium.
Plot & Pace
Jay and Rebecca, now divorced, are co-parenting their daughter, Kayla. When Jay is responsible for dropping his daughter off, they stop and pick up Kayla’s best friend. After things get awkward in the car, the friend asks if they can pull over so she can pee. Kayla follows her friend but when the girls start taking to long, Jay decides to go check on them, and to his dismay, the friend is nowhere to be found. Kayla then confesses that she killed her friend and now Jay must do whatever he can to make sure nothing happens to his daughter. Initially wanting to keep it hidden from his ex-wife, she finds out through Kayla and now the trio must cover their tracks and protect this dark secret forever. The pacing of this film is a bit slow. It presents itself as a thriller but it’s definitely more drama than thrill.
Characters & Chemistry
The strongest performances were by Joey King as Kayla and Peter Sarsgaard as Jay. King displayed a wide range of emotions resulting in her character coming off as unstable which played a huge role. Sarsgaard is in full papa grizzly mode and his performance drives the film.
The Lie will be available on October 6th on Prime Video. Enjoy and Stay Safe.
Director: Veena Sud
Writers: Sebastian Ko, Marcus Seibert, Veena Sud
Rated: N/A
Runtime: 1h 37m
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Senior Critic. Observing the human race since 1988.
