Hello and welcome to my website. My name is Barry. Bill Condon’s 2019 crime drama The Good Liar is based on the same-named book. The main character of the movie is a con artist who tries to rob a trusting old widow of all her money. Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen play the main characters in the film, and it’s a joy to watch them both perform. Although the movie isn’t very good, it’s interesting to witness the relationship the two actors create between their characters. There are many unexpected turns in the tale, as well as some non-linear narratives that present some issues. There will be spoilers in this summary of the movie The Good Liar’s narrative and explanation of its conclusion.
Synopsis of The Good Liar’s story
Let’s quickly recap The Good Liar’s story before talking about its conclusion.
The History of Lili Schröeder and Hans Taub
Lili was taught by Hans Taub, a young German who served as a family’s English tutor. One day, one of Lili’s sisters makes fun of Hans, who responds by kissing the other sister. After that, he attacks Lili sexually by going upstairs. The girls’ father kicks Hans out of the house without telling him what he did to Lili.
Following Hans’s denunciation of Lili’s father, the Nazis execute him and confiscate their home. Lili’s mother kills herself, leaving the sisters on their own. Lili grows up alone and is mistreated by the invaders of war when the sisters of Lilies are killed by a bomb one day.
Lili eventually settles in England, starts a family, and ages, but she never forgets or forgives Hans Taub. Hans, meantime, gets sick of living in Germany and seeks a new beginning. Hans and Roy Courtney are on a mission when they are fired upon by a Nazi they are attempting to apprehend. Hans is not fatally hurt, but Roy Courtnay has part of his face shot off. With their comparable face features, Hans seizes the chance to assume Roy’s name and relocate to England while Hans Taub is declared deceased.
Steven, who is he?
Years later, the partner of Lili’s grandson, who also happens to be an exceptional researcher, discovers that Hans has assumed Roy’s name and has relocated to London. They learn further that Hans is a conman who steals from people for a living and will kill if challenged.
I’ll keep referring to Lili and Hans by their true names from now on, but:
Hans Taub = Roy Courtney
Lili Schröeder is Betty McLeish’s twin.
Lily and Steven make a strategy.
Lily registers on an older dating website under the guise of Betty, an elderly naive affluent widow. Hans approaches her on the portal as expected and tries to gain her trust. Lily gives Hans permission to believe that she is being duped. Steven pretends to be Lili’s untrustworthy grandchild. Vincent, Hans’ accomplice, tries to convince Lily to combine her savings with his so they may take everything from her. The first effort fails because Lili requests some time to consider it.
Steven travels with them to Berlin and gives them a tour. Hans and Lili accompany him to the scene of the genuine Roy Courtnay’s murder. Steven tells the tale of how Hans assumed the identity of another man in an effort to corner Hans. He does this in an effort to confuse “Roy” and get him to reveal that his identity was a fraud. Now, I think Hans forged his identity, left his employment, and is an illegal immigrant rather than being a Nazi. Hans just desired to depart from Germany and begin over. But, if authorities learned about this, Hans’ misdeeds as a con artist would be exposed and result in his arrest.
Lili agrees to Hans’ explanation, pretends to be upset with Steven for being too curious, and requests to leave Berlin and return to her native country.
The day before, Lili sneakily returns to her childhood house. She goes to her chamber and uses a hidden door to retrieve a locket with a lock of Hans’ hair that was discovered on the day he raped her. Roy can be identified as Hans Taub based on DNA found in this hair.
Combined Account
Hans feels like he has defeated Steven because of this incident. He believes Lili fully trusts him despite knowing his true nature. Returning in England, Lili consents to place her money in a joint account with Roy. In private, Vincent urges Hans to leave a small donation for Lili since he honestly thinks this is Betty, a sick woman. Hans disagrees and is avaricious; he wants to steal whatever she has and leave nothing for her medical expenses.
Lili is apprehensive about transferring all of her money into the joint account, which Vincent opens. As a sign of trust, Hans shifts his whole net worth after observing this. Lili then wires everything she is equipped with. In this scene, Lili wants Hans to transfer all of his funds, so she plays the waiting game to persuade him to go all in.
Roy abandons Betty.
Although this isn’t shown until much later in the movie, Steven meets with Vincent and threatens to sue him severely. Being powerless, Vincent gives Lili all of her money back. Only Hans’ money is left in the joint account at this time. Hans begins to pack everything as he takes his safe keypad and places it in his luggage. Hans departs Lili while claiming to be going to see his estranged son. By that time, Lili had smuggled the keypad from Han’s backpack. At the railway station, Hans briefly seems to want to halt and stay behind with Lily. He seemed to have developed feelings for Betty (Lili).
But, Lili has only been acting so well, which is why. She begs him to leave because she wants to punish him.
Hans discovers at his residence that Vincent cannot be reached and his key card is not with him. He travels all the way back to Lily’s house in frustration, where she is waiting for him in a deserted home.
Explained: The Good Liar’s Finale
The Good Liar’s climax reveals that Betty is Lili, the young woman Hans (Roy) earlier sexually assaulted. Hans later accused Lili’s father, leading Lili’s life to fall apart. Hans owes $100,000 to one of the people he previously scammed, and Lili exacts revenge by taking away every money he owns. The two guys Hans crossed appear and demand money. Hans is beaten senseless when he refuses. The physical stress is so severe that it results in a stroke, paralysing Hans and forcing him to spend the rest of his days in a hospital.
The Good Liar Ending: Book information
According to the Good Liar book, Roy (Hans) was a real Nazi who pretended to be someone else in order to flee. In the novel, Vincent’s character is revealed to be a Jew. Vincent is enraged, switches sides, and aids in the downfall of Roy after Lili and Steven present him with evidence that Hans Taub, a Nazi, is truly Roy.
But there is one thing that annoys me. Hans is informed by Lili that she went to her Berlin home and got the locket with his hair on it. I’m unsure of what benefit that would have. The only thing the officials can do is match that hair to a Roy (or to nobody). If Hans Taub had a DNA record, I’m not sure if it would be available. The hair cannot indicate that Roy is not who he claims to be. They managed to convince Roy to admit that he is Hans, if only to confirm it. Why Lili brings up the locking in that final moment is a mystery to me. Thoughts?
Please comment here with your thoughts on The Good Liar’s conclusion.
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