by Reade Fenner ’22

“Dangerous Lies,” a Netflix thriller released on April 30 provides a means of entertainment for an hour or so but could hardly be called captivating from beginning to end. With a tedious exposition, “Dangerous Lies” fails to grab the audience’s attention until the latter half of the movie. However, once the action picks up, the film presents interesting plot twists that, although are a bit predictable, still excite the viewer. 

This film stars “Riverdale” actress Camila Mendes as Katie, a young woman struggling to make ends meet alongside her husband, Adam (Jessie T. Usher) after losing her waitress job. She soon finds a job as a caretaker for an elderly man, Leonard (Elliot Gould), and grows close to him. Soon, Leonard is found dead in his home, leading to issues between Adam and Katie as they deal with the aftermath. A detective (Sasha Alexander) takes an interest in Katie and Adam as she investigates Leonard’s death. Katie also notices a mysterious real estate agent (Cam Gigandet) loitering on Leonard’s property, hoping to purchase the home. These characters all tie into the twists and turns of “Dangerous Lies.”

Director Michael Scott and writer David Golden certainly designed a film that intrigues viewers. The creepy music and ominous camera angles that give the impression that someone is watching leave viewers feeling uneasy and allows suspense to build. 

Throughout the movie, the acting by leads Mendes and Usher was convincing, although bland. Mendes portrays Katie in an uninteresting manner, while Usher missed an opportunity to explore his character’s greed. Adam is a complex man who clearly has issues lurking below the surface, and Usher does not dive deep enough into this. Other actors, however, such as Jamie Chung, who plays Katie’s lawyer, and Gigandet deliver fantastic performances, allowing their characters’ true motives to shine through and contribute to the film’s suspense. 

“Dangerous Lies” is an average movie, but provides a source of entertainment once the action picks up. With a somewhat predictable plot, the movie surprises viewers but does not shock them as a thriller should. There are, however, a few jump scares that leave one’s heart racing and plot twists that call for a double take. If you’re bored during quarantine and have nothing better to watch, “Dangerous Lies” is an option for some entertainment. 

Grade: C