Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- gloomy
- queasy
- foreboding
- late night thriller viewing
- rainy day viewing
What critics said
Critics found the premise and parental dread compelling, but broadly felt that implausible decisions, overwrought performances, and an outlandish twist prevented the psychological drama from cohering.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Jay and Rebecca close ranks around Kayla after a disastrous encounter, repeatedly choosing protection over accountability.
The family's initial lie produces further secrets and forces them toward an impossible choice.
The film turns ordinary family protection into sustained parental anxiety and queasy psychological tension.
The critical and viewer responses specifically identify an unusually dark twist ending as a defining feature.
Films like The Lie, and why
A Simple Plan
shared parental dread, escalating concealment, and morally corrosive crime thriller tension
The Good Son
shared family loyalty, spiraling deception, and bleak psychological suspense
We Need to Talk About Kevin
shared suburban crime, impossible moral choices, and suspense built from a hidden act
Movie Details
- Director
- Veena Sud
- Release Date
- 2018-09-13
- Runtime
- 95 min
- Rating
- 6.4 / 10 (812)
Cast
- Peter Sarsgaard
- Mireille Enos
- Joey King
- Cas Anvar
- Patti Kim
- Nicholas Lea
- Devery Jacobs
- Dani Kind
- Alan van Sprang
- Rodrigo Fernandez-Stoll
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Lie about?
- A father and mother gamble their family’s future on an escalating lie meant to protect their daughter from the consequences of a terrible act.
- What is The Lie like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Lie as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Lie violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Lie as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Lie?
- Critics found the premise and parental dread compelling, but broadly felt that implausible decisions, overwrought performances, and an outlandish twist prevented the psychological drama from cohering.
- Which films are like The Lie?
- Films with a similar feel include A Simple Plan, The Good Son, and We Need to Talk About Kevin.
- How long is The Lie?
- The Lie runs 95 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Lie?
- In United States, The Lie streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
