The Lie (2018 film)

Last updated
The Lie
The Lie poster 2018.jpg
Official poster
Directed by Veena Sud
Written byVeena Sud
Based on We Monsters
by Marcus Seibert and Sebastian Ko
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography Peter Wunstorf
Edited byPhil Fowler
Music by Tamar-kali
Production
companies
Distributed by Amazon Studios
Release dates
  • September 13, 2018 (2018-09-13)(TIFF)
  • October 6, 2020 (2020-10-06)(United States)
Running time
97 minutes
Countries
LanguageEnglish
Budget< $10 million [3]

The Lie is a 2018 psychological horror film written and directed by Veena Sud. The film is a remake of the 2015 German film We Monsters , [4] and stars Mireille Enos, Peter Sarsgaard and Joey King. [5] Jason Blum serves as a producer under his Blumhouse Television banner.

Contents

The Lie premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 13, 2018. It was later released on October 6, 2020, by Amazon Studios, as the first installment in the anthological Welcome to the Blumhouse film series.

Plot

Divorced father Jay drives his daughter Kayla to a ballet retreat. On the way, they find Kayla's friend, Britney, walking on the side of the road, and give her a lift to the same retreat. After pulling over so Britney can go to the bathroom in the woods, Jay hears Kayla scream and finds her sitting alone on a bridge over a river. Kayla claims she pushed Britney off the bridge. Jay checks the area for Britney's body, but does not find it and assumes she drowned and was washed away. Kayla finds Britney's purse and they go to see Kayla's mother, Rebecca, an attorney.

At Rebecca's home, Kayla tells her that she murdered Britney. Britney's father, Sam, arrives in search of his daughter. When he asks to speak to Kayla, Rebecca lies, saying she is at the doctor. Later on, Sam gets suspicious and returns to discover that Rebecca lied and Kayla is at home. After a physical altercation with Jay, Sam threatens to go to the police. Noting that Britney had a bruise on her face, Jay convinces Rebecca to try and put suspicion on Sam for the disappearance. She contacts a police associate, Detective Kenji Tagata, to accuse Sam of abusing Britney. When Kenji interrogates Sam, he denies hitting Britney and admits that she has run away before. Kenji interviews Kayla, who says that Sam has a bad temper and hit Britney before.

Sam spots Kayla outside Jay's apartment and tries to grab her, but she retreats back into the house as he is chasing her, banging on the windows, and screaming her name. Jay and Rebecca try to bury Britney's phone behind Sam's house, but he catches them in the act. Before they flee, Sam tells them that he knows Kayla killed Britney. When Sam appears in front of their car, Rebecca purposefully drives into him. Jay and Rebecca consider calling for help before letting him bleed to death and leaving his corpse in the road.

The next morning, as Jay and Rebecca scrub Sam's blood off her car, Britney suddenly appears, alive and well, asking to speak to Kayla. Britney admits her disappearance was no more than an elaborate ruse between her and Kayla to allow for Britney to visit her boyfriend. Britney becomes uncomfortable and leaves after noticing a bloodied rag, and their suspicious reactions. Jay and Rebecca confront Kayla, who tearfully admits that she went along with Britney's plan, and escalated the lie by pretending to "push" Britney off the bridge, hoping that the pseudo-tragedy would bring her divorced parents back together. As the family embrace and Kayla begs her parents not to leave her, the doorbell rings and incoming police sirens are heard.

Cast

Production

Principal photography on the film began in January 2018. [6] Its working title was Between the Earth and the Sky. [5] The film is set in New York [7] and filmed in the Toronto area. [8]

Release

The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 13, 2018. [1] In August 2020, Amazon Studios acquired distribution rights to the film, and premiered it on October 6, 2020. Along with Black Box , it's one of the first two movies released from Blumhouse Productions's 8-film anthology Welcome to the Blumhouse . [9]

Reception

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 43% based on 77 reviews, with an average rating of 5.1/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Queasily compelling without ever truly coming together, The Lie won't fool many viewers seeking worthwhile horror fare." [10] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 45 out of 100, based on 13 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [11]

Kate Erbland of IndieWire wrote, "Too stupid to be the hard-hitting drama it was first sold as and too self-important to be the black comedy it really should be, Sud’s film is a master class in bad decision-making, improbable choices, and overwrought acting." [12] A.A. Dowd of The A.V. Club gave it a C- grade, calling the film "laughably ludicrous" and saying that it "seems to fancy itself a meditation on the extremes parents will go to on their children’s behalf, but it’s curiously disinterested in what should be its driving dramatic force: how Kayla’s crime—and how little it seems to weigh on her conscience—might challenge their unconditional love for her." [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Britney Spears</span> American singer (born 1981)

Britney Jean Spears is an American singer. Often referred to as the "Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Spears has sold over 150 million records worldwide, making her one of the world's best-selling music artists. She has earned numerous awards and accolades, including a Grammy Award, 15 Guinness world records, six MTV Video Music Awards, seven Billboard Music Awards, the inaugural Radio Disney Icon Award, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Her heavily choreographed videos earned her the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mireille Enos</span> American actress

Marie Mireille Enos is an American actress best known for the lead role as homicide detective Sarah Linden in the AMC crime drama series The Killing, for which she earned nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series at the Golden Globes, and the Primetime Emmys. She has also received a nomination for a Tony Award for her role as Honey in the 2005 Broadway production of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

<i>The Killing</i> (American TV series) 2011 American crime drama television series

The Killing is an American crime drama television series that premiered on April 3, 2011, on AMC, based on the Danish television series Forbrydelsen. The American version was developed by Veena Sud and produced by Fox Television Studios and Fuse Entertainment. Set in Seattle, Washington, the series follows the various murder investigations by homicide detectives Sarah Linden and Stephen Holder.

"Pilot" is the pilot and first episode of the American television drama series The Killing, which premiered on April 3, 2011 on AMC in the United States. The series is based on the Danish television series Forbrydelsen and developed for American audiences by Veena Sud. The episode's teleplay was written by Sud and was directed by Patty Jenkins. In the episode, police detective Sarah Linden plans to retire but is asked to investigate the disappearance of Rosie Larsen, a young girl.

<i>The Killing</i> season 1 Season of television series

The first season of the AMC American crime drama television series The Killing premiered on April 3, 2011 and concluded on June 19, 2011. The series was developed and produced by Veena Sud and based on the Danish series, Forbrydelsen. Set in Seattle, Washington, this season follows the investigation into the murder of local teenager Rosie Larsen, with each episode covering approximately 24 hours. The first season covers the first two weeks of the investigation and has three main storylines: the police investigation into Rosie's murder, the attempts of her family to deal with their grief, and the fluctuating electoral fortunes of a political campaign that becomes embroiled in the case. It stars Mireille Enos as homicide detective Sarah Linden and Joel Kinnaman as rookie detective Stephen Holder.

Veena Cabreros-Sud is a Canadian-born American television writer, director, and producer. She is best known for developing the American television drama The Killing, which is based on the Danish series Forbrydelsen .

<i>The Killing</i> season 2 American crime drama

The second season of the AMC American crime drama television series The Killing premiered on April 1, 2012, concluded on June 17, 2012, and consisted of 13 episodes. The series was developed and produced by Veena Sud and based on the Danish series, Forbrydelsen . Set in Seattle, Washington, this season follows the continued investigation into the murder of local teenager Rosie Larsen, with each episode covering approximately 24 hours. The season culminated in the closing of the Larsen murder, with the discovery of those involved with the murder.

<i>The Killing</i> season 3 Season of television series

The third season of the AMC American crime drama television series The Killing premiered on June 2, 2013, concluded on August 4, 2013, and consisted of 12 episodes. The series was developed and produced by Veena Sud and based on the Danish series, Forbrydelsen . Set in Seattle, Washington, this season follows detectives Sarah Linden and Stephen Holder as they investigate a string of murders that connect to a previous case of Linden's. AMC originally announced that they had canceled the series in July 2012, but, in January 2013, officially announced it would return for a third season, which would ultimately be the last to air on AMC. On November 15, 2013, Netflix announced it would produce a fourth and final season to consist of six episodes.

"Reckoning" is the thirty-fifth episode of the American television drama series The Killing, which aired on July 21, 2013. The episode is written by Dan Nowak and directed by Jonathan Demme. In the episode, Sarah Linden and Stephen Holder seek out Joe Mills after he attacks Danette Leeds. Their pursuit proves costly to everyone. With Ray Seward's execution scheduled the next day, he desperately accepts Dale Shannon's suggestion to pray, only to learn his cellblock mate's true nature.

"Six Minutes" is the thirty-sixth episode of the American television drama series The Killing, which aired on July 28, 2013. The episode is written by series creator Veena Sud and directed by Nicole Kassell. In the episode, Sarah Linden spends Ray Seward's remaining twelve hours with him. He allows his son Adrian to visit, but Becker denies entry. Seward's execution occurs, despite Linden's belief that he is innocent of his wife's murder.

<i>The Killing</i> season 4 Season of television series

The fourth and final season of the American crime drama television series The Killing consists of six episodes and was released on Netflix on August 1, 2014. Netflix picked up the series after it was canceled by AMC in 2013.

<i>Blockers</i> (film) 2018 American sex comedy film

Blockers is a 2018 American sex comedy film directed by Kay Cannon in her directorial debut, and written by Brian and Jim Kehoe, and starring John Cena, Leslie Mann, and Ike Barinholtz with supporting roles by Kathryn Newton, Geraldine Viswanathan, Gideon Adlon, Graham Phillips, Miles Robbins, Jimmy Bellinger, Colton Dunn, Sarayu Blue, Gary Cole, Gina Gershon, June Diane Raphael, and Hannibal Buress. It tells the story of a trio of parents who try to stop their respective daughters from losing their virginity on prom night. The title of the film is a reference to the act of "cockblocking", with marketing materials displaying a rooster above the title.

<i>Truth or Dare</i> (2018 film) 2018 American film

Truth or Dare, also known as Blumhouse's Truth or Dare, is a 2018 American supernatural horror film directed and co-written by Jeff Wadlow. The film stars Lucy Hale, Tyler Posey, Violett Beane, Hayden Szeto, Sophia Taylor Ali, and Landon Liboiron as a group of college students who play a game of truth or dare while on vacation in Mexico, only to realize it has deadly consequences if they do not follow through on their obligations. Jason Blum produced through his Blumhouse Productions banner, and Universal Pictures distributed the film.

<i>Hanna</i> (TV series) 2019 American action drama streaming television series

Hanna is an American action drama television series, based on the 2011 film of the same name, for Amazon Prime Video. The series was created and written by David Farr and stars Esme Creed-Miles and Mireille Enos. The first episode was made available on Amazon Prime Video as a time-limited preview on February 3, 2019. The full eight-episode first season was released on March 29, 2019, and the second season was released on July 3, 2020. In July 2020, the series was renewed for a third and final season. It premiered on November 24, 2021.

<i>The Craft: Legacy</i> 2020 American fantasy film by Zoe Lister-Jones

The Craft: Legacy, also known as Blumhouse's The Craft: Legacy, is a 2020 American supernatural horror film written and directed by Zoe Lister-Jones. A legacy sequel to The Craft (1996), the film stars Cailee Spaeny, Gideon Adlon, Lovie Simone, and Zoey Luna as four teenage girls who practice witchcraft as a coven. Additional cast include Nicholas Galitzine, Michelle Monaghan, and David Duchovny, with Fairuza Balk making a cameo appearance.

<i>Black Box</i> (2020 film) 2020 film directed by Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour Jr.

Black Box is a 2020 American science fiction horror film directed by Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour Jr. and written by him and Stephen Herman. The film stars Mamoudou Athie, Phylicia Rashad, Amanda Christine, Tosin Morohunfola and Charmaine Bingwa. Jason Blum executive produced under his Blumhouse Television banner.

<i>Evil Eye</i> (2020 film) 2020 American horror film

Evil Eye is a 2020 American supernatural horror film directed by Elan and Rajeev Dassani and written by Madhuri Shekar, based on her Audible Original audio play of the same name. The film stars Sarita Choudhury, Sunita Mani and Omar Maskati. It was executive produced by Jason Blum of Blumhouse Television and Priyanka Chopra Jonas of Purple Pebble Pictures.

Welcome to the Blumhouse is a film series consisting of theme-related anthological horror stories, developed and produced by Blumhouse Productions for Prime Video as Amazon Prime Originals. Announced as an ongoing collaboration between the companies, the films include "distinctive vision[s] and unique perspective[s] on common themes". The first four incorporate "family and love as redemptive or destructive forces", while the next four releases center around "institutional horrors and personal phobias."

<i>Somebody I Used to Know</i> 2023 film by Dave Franco and Alison Brie

Somebody I Used to Know is a 2023 American romantic comedy film directed by Dave Franco and co-written with his wife Alison Brie. The film stars Brie, Jay Ellis, and Kiersey Clemons. It was released on Amazon Prime Video on February 10, 2023.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "The Lie". Archived from the original on 2021-01-02. Retrieved 2018-08-14.
  2. ↑ "TIFF 2018: Outlaw King to open Toronto film fest; Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy to close". The Canadian Press. August 14, 2018. Archived from the original on 2 January 2021. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  3. ↑ Spangler, Todd (October 27, 2020). " Borat 2 Drew 'Tens of Millions' of Viewers Over Opening Weekend, Amazon Says". Variety . Archived from the original on October 27, 2020. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
  4. ↑ Alice Thorpe (11 February 2016). "'The Killing' Creator Veena Sud To Pen Remake of German Thriller 'We Monsters'". Indiewire. Archived from the original on 2 January 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  5. 1 2 Berger, Laura (January 22, 2018). "Veena Sud Reuniting with Mireille Enos for New Feature". Women and Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 31, 2020. Retrieved January 31, 2018.
  6. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (January 19, 2018). "Blumhouse Filming Veena Sud's Family Drama Movie 'Between The Earth And Sky' – Sundance". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on January 2, 2021. Retrieved January 31, 2018.
  7. ↑ Leslie Felperin (2018-09-12). "'The Lie': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 2021-01-02. Retrieved 2018-09-16.
  8. ↑ Leah Collins. "You'd never guess, but these 9 movies at TIFF 2018 are 'secretly Canadian'". Archived from the original on 2021-01-02. Retrieved 2018-09-16.
  9. ↑ Rubin, Rebecca (August 13, 2020). "Eight New Blumhouse Horror Films Coming to Amazon". Variety . Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  10. ↑ "The Lie (2018)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango. Archived from the original on January 2, 2021. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  11. ↑ "The Lie (2020) Reviews". Metacritic . Archived from the original on January 2, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  12. ↑ Erbland, Kate (October 6, 2020). "'The Lie' Review: Joey King Stars in Blumhouse's Hilariously Overwrought Master Class in Bad Decision-Making". IndieWire . Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  13. ↑ Dowd, A.A. "Don't expect many scares from the first four movies in Amazon's Welcome To The Blumhouse series". The A. V. Club . Retrieved April 27, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.