Verity the trashy thriller you can’t stop watching
Sometimes, the best cinematic experiences are the ones you don’t expect. Stepping into the world of Verity, the psychological thriller spun from Colleen Hoover’s novel, feels like a delightfully guilty pleasure—the kind of movie that delivers thrills without requiring you to think too hard about it.
At first glance, the film is pure cinematic indulgence, featuring pretty actors engaged in situations that defy easy logic. It’s potboiler 101, packed with characters acting in ways that might make you scratch your head, but that is precisely where the film finds its charm.
The central tension ignites when Lowen Ashleigh (Dakota Fanning), a published author, enters a highly unusual arrangement. She is offered the chance to ghostwrite the next novel by the best-selling scribe Verity Crawford (Anne Hathaway), who has suffered a significant medical event and is currently in a vegetative state. This seemingly improbable contract sets the stage for an intensely strange and unfolding drama.
Lowen accepts the challenge, perhaps motivated by the attentions of Verity’s husband, Jeremy (Josh Hartnett), who sees in her the perfect partner for the role. Their initial meeting, which involves a familiar romantic setup, quickly spirals into something far more complicated and far less conventional—a decidedly meet-bloody affair that throws the audience immediately off balance.
As Lowen spends more time at the stately Crawford estate, piecing together Verity’s notes and navigating the complexities of the situation, the film shifts from a simple premise to a high-stakes psychological mystery. The lines between reality and fiction become wonderfully blurred, forcing the audience to question everything they witness.
While the core concept might flirt with the absurd, the film manages to deliver undeniable thrills. The narrative utilizes a fictionalized flashback to illuminate the Crawfords’ history, adding layers of suspense that propel the third act forward. The director, Michael Showalter, navigates this space skillfully, aiming for the middle ground between a fully realized narrative and a pure, reality-based depiction.
The film asks some wonderfully unsettling questions: Does it take a monster to write monstrous characters? As the narrative continues to unfold, it presents a series of “gotcha” moments that keep viewers on edge, demonstrating that sometimes the most compelling suspense comes from the unexpected turn.
Ultimately, Verity operates on a split spectrum. It will challenge some viewers with its pulpy premise and groaning twists, while others will be thoroughly entertained by the sheer audacity of the storytelling. It demands that you watch, but be warned: there is no easy escape once you’ve decided to dive in.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Genre: Psychological thriller/mystery
Runtime: 1 hour, 54 minutes
Where to Watch: In theaters Oct. 2
Rating Advisory: Sexual situations, adult language, and violence.
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