'The Good Liar': Release date, plot, cast, trailer and everything you need to know about the Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen starrer
Stories of cons abound in novels, television shows and movies. And as much as they hover on the borderline of crime and suspense, there is a kind of excitement about watching a conman or con-woman work their way towards their agendas.
Most often than not, conning always ends up with the protagonist being caught or outwitted by the law. 'The Good Liar' however, bypasses the legal nuances and explores the equation between a conman and the conned.
Release Date
'The Good Liar' hits theaters on Friday, November 15.
Plot
The story follows Roy Courtnay (Ian McKellen), a career con artist who meets Betty McLeish (Helen Mirren), a wealthy widow, living alone. They meet online and hit it off right away, albeit because of Roy's pursuit of making the most of Betty’s wealth and lifestyle.
But as Betty gets closer to him and lets him into her home and her life, Roy finds himself, much to his surprise, getting attached to her in ways he had never imagined.
He gradually discovers the secrets of her past. It is indeed unlikely for a con artist to develop serious emotions towards the target. Will Roy be able to get himself out of what was supposed to be a cut-and-dry swindle and turn the tricky situation to his favor?
Cast
'The Good Liar' features Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen in lead roles.
Helen Mirren
Academy-award winner English actor Helen Mirren has been the face of some of the best movies of our time. For nearly six decades and still counting, Mirren has been recognized for movies like 'Queen Elizabeth II', 'Hamlet', 'Excalibur', 'The Hundred-Foot Journey' and many more.
In 'The Good Liar', she plays the role of Betty McLeish, a well-to-do widow who happens to falls for the charm of con artist Roy Courtnay.
Ian McKellen
Oscar-nominated veteran English actor, Sir Ian Murray McKellen is recognized as the face of legendary projects like 'X-Men', 'The Lord Of The Rings' trilogy, 'The Hobbit', and some of the best sci-fi and thriller movies of our times.
The octogenarian actor is also a recipient of Knighthood. In 'The Good Liar', McKellen plays the character of Roy Courntay, a career con artist, who pursues a wealthy widow.
The ensemble cast of the drama-thriller also features Mark Lewis Jones, Bill Condon, Aaron L. Gilbert, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Michael Culkin, Hans Taub, Russell Tovey, Jeffrey Hatcher, Jim Carter, Jason Cloth, Laurie Davidson, Greg Yolen, Jack Morrissey and Phil Dunster among others.
Director/Writer
'The Good Liar' is loosely based on the eponymous novel by Nicholas Searle. The screenplay is written by Jeffrey Hatcher and directed by Bill Condon.
News: Knowing a conman in real-life
Helen Mirren is all set for the release of her upcoming movie 'The Good Liar' alongside Ian McKellen. In a recent interview, while talking about her role and her experience working on the drama-thriller, Mirren revealed that despite the sinister shades of McKellen’s character, she found it to be "charming".
In fact, she even admitted being friends with a conman in real life. It was not so long ago that she met and befriended this man within her circle of friends, who was eventually caught fleecing everyone out of money. Although Mirren herself neve got duped, her experience of knowing him was quite shocking, and surprisingly, somehow, that helped her through the character of 'The Good Liar'.
Trailer
Sneak a peek at Mirren and McKellen's chemistry, as it unravels the suspense of the conner and conned.
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