There is a difference between reading a book and watching its adaptation. In a book, the reader can develop their fantasies alongside the author's imagination, whereas in a film, the director shows the viewer only what they have seen. Something similar happened with Colin Hoover's novel 'Verity'. Director Michael Shovalter brought to the screen a story filled with mystery, passion, deceit, and complicated relationships. However, despite all these elements that should have created a tense thriller, the film resembles a drama with low suspense in many places.
Despite the participation of Dakota Johnson and Anne Hathaway, the film failed to captivate the audience. The plot revolves around Laven Ashley (Dakota Johnson), who is a struggling writer. One day, after a traffic accident, splatters of blood appear on her face. During this incident, she meets Jeremy Crawford (Josh Hartnett), who helps her by offering his shirt.
It later turns out that Jeremy is the husband of the famous writer Verity Crawford (Anne Hathaway). After the accident, Verity falls into a coma, and Jeremy asks Laven to finish her unfinished book. When Laven moves into their luxurious home, she finds Verity's incomplete autobiography. It reveals secrets related to her passionate relationship with Jeremy and her hatred for her twins, which steers the plot into a dark and dangerous direction. The question arises: are Verity's words true, or are they the fabrication of a troubled mind or part of a larger conspiracy?
Attempting to build suspense
At the beginning of the film, there is a good attempt to create the desired atmosphere. The director strives to evoke a feeling of psychological thriller in the viewer using background music, sudden editing, and frightening visual images. However, this attempt looks too forced, causing more a sense of artificiality than fear.
The story contains a mystery, but lacks depth in the psychology of the characters and their relationships. A voiceover is used to explain many important events. As a result, the viewer remains merely a listener to the story instead of experiencing the characters. The psychological tension upon which the film relies is not very successfully realized on screen.
There is boldness, but where is the story?
'Verity' is positioned as a dark, perverse, and erotic thriller. Nevertheless, in the film, boldness sometimes seems more important than the plot itself. Frequent bathing scenes, Laven's changing clothes, and long shots during meals can distract from the narrative rather than excite the viewer.
The romance developing between Jeremy and Laven also seems clumsy in several moments. Sometimes trifles, like crumbs on lips, become the basis for romance, and in serious scenes, there is such theatricality that it provokes laughter. Even Verity's presence in a wheelchair becomes a source of unintentional humor in some scenes.
Dakota and Anne's chemistry didn't save the film
Dakota Johnson tries to convey the necessary anxiety and insecurity in her role. Her detached presence on screen can be considered part of the character, but in many scenes, it looks more like a lack of acting skill than an internal struggle of the character. Anne Hathaway was expected to deliver a mysterious and imposing performance, but her character is not fully revealed either. Josh Hartnett also does not lend the film the strength it needed.
The film's biggest asset is the climax and the final twist. Here, the story truly makes the viewer think for a while, but by that time, too much has happened, which weakens the effect of the film. At the end, a fog remains between truth and lies, but the question remains: was the result of all these efforts so insignificant? 'Verity' is a film with an interesting plot, strong actors, and the potential to create suspense. But a weak script, contrived romance, and an overly sensational approach spoiled the game. Even book fans may not find enough character depth and plot subtleties. If you plan to watch the film for Dakota Johnson and Anne Hathaway, you should lower your expectations. And if you need suspense that will keep you on edge until the last minute, perhaps it is better to watch 'Drishyam: The Conclusion' Vijay Salgaonkar. Currently, the truth about 'Verity' is that although its mystery is interesting, the way it is presented on screen is disappointing.