Hit thriller starring Helen Mirren branded ‘outrageous and irresistible’ added to BBC iPlayer for the first time
HELEN Mirren and Ian McKellen’s captivating London based thriller The Good Liar is now available to stream on BBC iPlayer for the very first time.
Based on Nicholas Searle’s novel, The Good Liar sees Sir Ian star as seasoned con artist Roy Courtnay.
He sets his sights on wealthy widow Betty McLeish, played by Helen, after meeting her through an online dating site.
As Betty appears to fall for his charms, her skeptical son Steven grows suspicious of Roy’s intentions.
The film originally aired on BBC One on November 19 and will remain on BBC iPlayer for the next 29 days.
For who prefer to use a different platform, the thriller is also available to stream on Netflix in the UK and Ireland.
The Good Liar was directed by Bill Condon – who previously worked with Ian McKellen on Mr Holmes.
It also boasts an impressive supporting cast, including Jim Carter, Lucian Msamati, Céline Buckens, and Phil Dunster.
When the film was first released in 2019, Helen shared how excited she was to finally work on a project for the screen with Ian, after their previous collaboration on Broadway.
This was part of what influenced her to join the cast of the film, as she told Entertainment Weekly: “It was a combination of my costar Ian McKellen and of course the director, Bill Condon.
“It’s a very interesting script, a wonderful, twisty thriller that I thought would be fun to do.”
Helen also highlighted the unique storyline, adding: “It’s nice to do a film about old people that’s not about Alzheimer’s or cancer, if you know what I mean.”
The Good Liar received praise for its gripping performances and unexpected twists, with critics calling it “outrageous and irresistible”.
Peter Bradshaw raved about it in his review for the Guardian, saying: “This movie rattles along with terrific energy and dash and the flashback sequences show that it’s actually far more daring and ambitious that you might expect.
“It’s a great duel between McKellen and Mirren.”