Movie Profile: THE LIE (2018 / 2020)
| Attribute | Details |
| Title | The Lie |
| Release Date | September 13, 2018 (TIFF Premiere) / October 6, 2020 (Amazon Prime Video) |
| Director | Veena Sud |
| Writer | Veena Sud (Based on the 2015 German film We Monster) |
| Genre | Psychological Thriller, Mystery, Drama |
| Runtime | 97 minutes |
| Production Co. | Blumhouse Productions, Mad River Pictures |
| Lead Cast |
• Joey King (Kayla Logan) • Peter Sarsgaard (Jay Logan) • Mireille Enos (Rebecca Guthrie) • Cas Anvar (Sam Ismali) • Devery Jacobs (Brittany Ismali) |
Trailer
Plot Overview
Divorced parents Jay (Peter Sarsgaard) and Rebecca (Mireille Enos) are forced to reunite when their 15-year-old daughter, Kayla (Joey King), confesses to a horrific crime. While Jay is driving Kayla to a weekend dance retreat, they pick up her best friend, Brittany (Devery Jacobs), along a snowy highway. After stopping by a icy river bridge, Brittany disappears, and a hysterical Kayla confesses to pushing her best friend off the bridge into the freezing water to her death.
Desperate to protect their daughter from prison and a ruined life, Jay and Rebecca weave a complex web of deception, lies, and cover-ups. They attempt to hide the crime from local law enforcement and Brittany’s frantic father, Sam (Cas Anvar). As suspicion mounts and their cover stories begin to unravel, the parents find themselves committing increasingly unethical and dangerous acts—unaware of the devastating twist that awaits them.
Key Themes & Production Notes
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Blumhouse “Welcome to the Blumhouse” Slate: Although The Lie premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in September 2018, it was acquired by Amazon Studios and Blumhouse Television as part of the “Welcome to the Blumhouse” film anthology series released in October 2020.
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Parental Instinct vs. Morality: The central tension explores how far loving parents will go to shield their child from consequences, examining desperation, guilt, and ethics when pushed to extreme limits.
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Shocking Twist Ending: The narrative relies heavily on psychological suspense, building toward a notorious climax that completely recontextualizes the events leading up to it.