The long-anticipated “Verity” was released in theaters on Friday, Oct. 2. The film is an adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s book by the same title, whose popularity spread like wildfire in summer 2021 after becoming popular on TikTok. Readers consider it among Hoover’s best and awaited this adaptation for years. In hindsight, however, they really shouldn’t have.
The story follows Lowen Ashleigh (Dakota Johnson), an author who has not found much success in her professional career. Her life is turned upside down when Jeremy Crawford (Josh Hartnett) makes a proposition she cannot refuse: become a ghostwriter and finish the book series written by his wife, Verity Crawford (Anne Hathaway).
Verity is not able to work anymore, but her office is filled with notes and drafts that Lowen must go through to write the last book in the series. Verity’s private thoughts are discovered by Lowen in a journal-type manuscript, and secrets Lowen never wished to know are revealed.
This premise is rather promising for anyone who considers themself a fan of thrillers: the mysterious ghost of a woman who haunts the main character, a suspenseful setting full of snow featuring mountainous isolation and a potential love interest that happens to be married to the woman Lowen now has to become.
The book unifies these conflicting plots into a resolution that is full of visceral descriptions and frantic atmosphere, whereas the movie seems to smooth it all out into scenes that are more passive and lighthearted than the source material.
The novel offers a look into Verity’s twisted mind. Her inner monologue is nauseating; her hateful words and feelings suffocate readers. However, it is that unique darkness which made the book such a well-respected and beloved page-turner.
As Johnson fills the screen with minimal facial expressions and a boring demeanor, all the anxious pacing and calculation of Lowen’s character goes out the window. Not even Oscar-winner Hathaway can deliver the bone-chilling performance Verity demands when the script lacks substance and shies away from the explicit darkness that made the book so intriguing.
It is safe to say that, unlike Johnson, the creative team was eager to deliver creative and competent camera work that helps to build a nail-biting atmosphere. Their hard work pays off, allowing viewers to feel immersed in the isolation and suspense of the movie.
The third act stands out due to all the action that finally comes into play, combined with the dark lighting and fast-paced, well-edited sequences that bring the angst of the story to the screen. However, all of this comes too late to make in the film to make the movie as engaging as its novel counterpart.
While the technical aspects of this film are executed well, its creative aspects are undercooked. Writers and actors unite in “Verity” to deliver a dull, lazy Hollywood adaptation. Perhaps this is all one should expect from Hoover adaptations, which are churned out at an insanely fast pace — four have been released in the last two years.
Audience members not familiar with the novel might find it a pleasant watch, but it is hard to imagine many will love this story when so much substance and depth are lacking from a weak script and mediocre acting. After “Verity,” film studios should take a hard look at themselves before releasing yet another Hoover adaptation.
