The Mosley Review: The Lie
When it comes to family dramas that center around a horrible event, they're a dime a dozen. The difference is that some actually go the extra mile in keeping the tension constant. You actually get into the mindset of the characters and you start to rationalize every action. This film did that excellently, even if some of the decisions were questionable for a certain character. The film balances tension with some genuinely sweet moments, but then takes them away in very stressful ways. It truly is a rollercoaster of emotions and decisions. The unraveling of each character's world was particularly fun and unsettling to watch. Its a constant question of what would you do to protect your child and how easily it is to justify your actions.
This is a stellar cast all around and a believable family. Peter Sarsgaard as the father Jay was as excellent as you expect him to be. You see the stress and anxiety take over his mind in his eyes. Mireille Enos has quietly become one of my favorite actresses. As the mother Rebecca, she equally shows the stress, but tries her best to keep a level head as everything seems to be closing in around her and her daughter. Joey King was outstanding as their daughter Kayla. She delivers an excellent depiction of a teen wanting to get her parents back together even if it takes a horrible act to do it. Her scenes with her parents are the most stressful and easily the most disturbing. Cas Avnar as the father of the missing girl in the film Sam, was great and he delivers a solid performance. Patii Kim was great and intuitive as Detective Tagata and her partner Detective Barnes, played by Nicholas Lea, was perfect jerk.
The score by Tamar-kali was good and suspenseful. I loved the cold blues and whites of the cinematography. It really helped sell some of the despair. This film is not a horror film per say, but it does present a horrific situation no family has to go through. Its a decent thriller that is the perfect length even if it may not be as memorable. This the first of 4 films that the brilliant company Blumhouse Productions has decided to brand “Welcome to Blumhouse”. Its a good start and I can't wait to dive in to the rest. This film is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video and its a good watch. Let me know what your thoughts are about my review or the film in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
