A Seductive Web Of Lies Where Nothing Is Quite What It Seems
Two writers. One disturbing manuscript. And a truth someone will do anything to keep buried.
Verity (2026) turns Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel into a dark, provocative psychological thriller where attraction, ambition and manipulation become increasingly difficult to separate.
Directed by Michael Showalter, the film stars Dakota Johnson as Lowen Ashleigh, a struggling writer offered an opportunity that could transform her career. She is hired to complete the successful book series of celebrated author Verity Crawford, played by Anne Hathaway, after Verity is left incapacitated and unable to continue writing.
Lowen relocates to the remote Crawford home, where she meets Verity’s husband Jeremy, played by Josh Hartnett. What initially appears to be a professional assignment changes dramatically when Lowen discovers disturbing autobiographical writings apparently created by Verity.
The pages contain horrifying revelations about Verity’s marriage
The pages contain horrifying revelations about Verity’s marriage and family. Yet the deeper Lowen ventures into the material, the harder it becomes to determine whether she has uncovered a confession, a work of fiction—or something deliberately designed to manipulate whoever reads it.
That uncertainty is Verity’s greatest strength.
Johnson gives Lowen an appropriately uneasy quality. She is fascinated by Verity, increasingly attracted to Jeremy and simultaneously disturbed by what she discovers. Lowen isn’t simply investigating someone else’s secrets; she is gradually becoming part of them.
Hathaway has the more difficult role. Verity’s physical condition restricts conventional communication, meaning small movements, expressions and moments of apparent awareness carry enormous significance. Her presence hangs over the house even when she appears powerless.
Hartnett’s Jeremy sits dangerously between the two women
Hartnett’s Jeremy sits dangerously between the two women. He is grieving, vulnerable and attractive, but Verity repeatedly encourages audiences to question whether anyone inside this household should be trusted.
The supporting cast includes Ismael Cruz Córdova and Brady Wagner, while Nick Antosca wrote the screenplay adaptation.
Showalter creates an oppressive atmosphere around the Crawford estate. Rooms become increasingly claustrophobic, silence feels threatening and seemingly innocent discoveries take on darker meanings. However, the film occasionally pushes its erotic melodrama harder than its psychological mystery requires, while some narrative developments demand considerable acceptance from the audience.
At 116 minutes, it nevertheless moves confidently towards
At 116 minutes, it nevertheless moves confidently towards a conclusion designed to leave viewers debating exactly what they have witnessed.
An interesting fact is that Hoover originally self-publishedVerity in 2018. The novel subsequently became an extraordinary publishing success and spent more than 160 weeks on bestseller lists before reaching the screen.
For Australian audiences, Verity opened on October 1 and carries an MA15+ classification, reflecting its mature material.
Ultimately, Verity works because certainty remains frustratingly out
Ultimately, Verity works because certainty remains frustratingly out of reach. Every manuscript, conversation and relationship potentially offers another version of the truth.
And somebody is lying.
RATING:★★★★½☆ — 4.5/5
Verdict: Seductive, unsettling and deliberately deceptive, Verity combines strong performances with a deliciously uncomfortable mystery. Hathaway is chilling, Johnson provides an effective emotional centre and Hartnett ensures the romantic triangle always feels slightly dangerous.
