I didn’t know what to expect when I watched Verity, but I’m honestly delighted that I didn’t.
The first few minutes of the film were gripping. I’m telling you, the goriness was something I did not expect, but it had me on the edge of my seat. The scene of blood on Dakota
Johnson’s face as Lowen witnesses the death of a man who had been biking in New York
was shocking. But what was even more shocking was how she continued to go about her
day and attend a meeting like nothing had happened. Looking back, this moment hinted at
the kind of character Lowen was, and I don’t think we had even begun to understand her yet.
When Lowen agrees to a book deal with Verity’s company to finish the bestselling author’s
unfinished series, she moves into the home where Verity lives. You would think discovering
the circumstances surrounding Verity would be enough to make her reconsider. It feels
obvious that she should not write the book, let alone live there. And after finding out Verity’s true colours, the fact that she still chooses to stay in the house makes her decisions even more questionable.
I did find it quite predictable that Lowen and Jeremy, played by Dakota Johnson and Josh
Hartnett, would get together. However, the uncertainty surrounding the characters certainly
made up for it, as it kept me questioning what was really happening. Josh Hartnett portrayed the seemingly distraught husband quite well, although I couldn’t quite bring myself to trust him. Meanwhile, Dakota Johnson did an amazing job portraying Lowen and keeping the audience guessing about her character and her decisions. As the film progresses, you begin to question just how far Lowen is willing to go, and whether she is as innocent as she first appears.
Anne Hathaway also delivered a compelling performance as Verity. She did such a great job
portraying a character who remains unsettling even when she is not on screen. She’s on a
generational run with movies this year, and her performance adds another intriguing
character to her growing list of roles.
I genuinely thought it was interesting how similar Verity and Lowen were. Both had brunette hair, and both were connected through sinister writing. The flashbacks to certain scenes and the use of particular words were beautifully done, adding to the mystery and making you question what you had already seen.
Visually, the film was great. The lake where the daughter dies was captured in a way that
added to the unsettling atmosphere, while Verity appearing at the window and staring at
Lowen was creepily done. There were so many intriguing shots that added to the film and
helped build its tension.
There were so many possibilities to consider. Was Verity simply manipulating the truth? Was her letter at the end genuine? What really happened? The more I thought about the film, the more questions I had. I left the cinema with so many things to discuss, but I was content with the plot of the movie.
If you want a film that leaves you debriefing with your friends an hour after watching it, which is what I certainly did, Verity is the one for you.
4/5 Stars
