Even though I knew Verity (2026) is based on a book by Colleen Hoover, I still wanted to give this movie a chance. The previous Colleen Hoover adaptation, It Ends with Us (2024), was surrounded with a lot of controversy. This time I was able to watch Verity without noise surrounding it. I admit, I was also quite intrigued by the trailer. Anne Hathaway looks stunning as Verity and I was eager to find out how the story would unfold. Was the movie as satisfying as I had hoped? Let’s get into it!
WARNING: This post contains spoilers !
Plot
Lowen Ashleigh, hired to ghostwrite for best-selling author Verity Crawford, uncovers what appears to be Verity’s autobiographical notes, and becomes involved in what may prove to be a lethal conspiracy.
Thoughts
I love a good psychological thriller or even a mystery. Going into the movie I already hold on to my mental note that this film was based on a book by Colleen Hoover. It Ends with Us has terrible dialogue, so I was prepared this would also be the case in Verity. During the first minutes of the movie, it became clear the terrible dialogue and contrived plot points would also be in this movie. My hope of this being an enjoyable psychological thriller started to fade immediately.
The scenario where Lowen meets Jeremy was so over the top, that it made me cringe hard. Instead of a smart subtle setup, it felt more like a wet dream for a specific type of woman. I won’t go into that too much, because I don’t want to insult those who did enjoy the movie or the book. It immediately setup the “Oh my gosh he’s so hot, he’s the husband of famous writer Verity, she’s so coooool, but I’m so gonna f*ck him because he wants me and I know he does !!!” plot. Other events or side characters didn’t even seem to have an impact on the overall story at all. It was just empty fluff.
I really dislike how bland Lowen was and that she ultimately became a villain. I mentioned in previous reviews that I like morally grey characters. From what I understand Lowen is supposed to be the underdog, but to me Lowen did not have any redeemable traits. She wasn’t smart or complex, she came across as.. and I really don’t know how to put it any other way: a loser. Not someone who wanted to carve out her own path, but a parasite feeding on what Verity had built. Someone you don’t root for, but hope dies a beautiful death. Fortunately Lowen doesn’t truly win in the end.
The most interesting part of the movie was when we got to see more of Verity’s past through her autobiography. Anne Hathaway truly carried the movie by her portrayal of Verity. Even though her story was a bit tacky, I did think it was interesting that it highlighted how motherhood can be rough and cause identity issues and friction between romantic partners. I thought it was interesting to see how Lowen believed everything Verity had written down without applying any critical thought. Wasn’t she a writer herself? I had expected that as a writer of fiction, that she would know that written words aren’t always true.
The soundtrack by Volker Bertelmann isn’t actually that bad. I believe it does fit a psychological thriller perfectly. But it was the inclusion of songs like Girls Feel Good by FKA twigs during the scene where Lowen finally gets to have sex with Jeremy, after telling him he should think about his own needs for a change.. while his wife is in the other room, paralyzed.. I rolled my eyes, because it pulled the movie further down the drain. I wasn’t watching a brilliant psychological thriller, not even a movie that pretended to be one.. I was watching low effort smut. I did adore the fashion of Verity though. It inspired me to finally go and buy those 10.5 cm stiletto heels in burgundy red I have been eyeing for a while.
Verdict
Verity (2026) as a concept has great potential, unfortunately the story doesn’t have that spark of brilliance to make it a breathtaking psychological thriller. I think I’m mainly disappointed that I got caught up disliking Lowen so much, that I couldn’t even enjoy the movie. How the story unfolded or how it was executed. There are numerous villains in movies, but in a great movie they are part of it and not break it down.
I understand not everyone has the fortitude to handle movies like Black Swan (2010) or Gone Girl (2014), but there are much better alternatives to enjoy. I recently watched The Housemaid (2025) and I would strongly recommend it over Verity any day. Even thought the movie has a seductive trailer, I warn anyone to stay away from Verity.
The movie is awful!
Verity (2026)
As a concept Verity has great potential, unfortunately the story doesn't have that spark of brilliance to make it a breathtaking psychological thriller. Don't be seduced by the trailer. Stay away!
The Good
- Anne Hathaway
The Bad
- Characters
- Dialogue
- Wasted Potential
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Plot
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Visuals
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Sound