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Verity (2026)


Verity was a surprise for me. Normally, the authors who turn their books into movies that I actually enjoy are Stephen King or Michael Crichton, but Colleen Hoover has been doing surprisingly well with the last four movies adaptations from her work. One thing I appreciate about her writing is that she knows how to write male characters who aren't weak or simply there to be punching bags for feminist talking points. That alone makes the characters feel more believable and gives the story a better balance.

Dakota Johnson plays an up and coming writer who is brought in to ghostwrite for Anne Hathaway's character. This is easily Johnson's best performance yet. She does a good job carrying the movie and making the character's uncertainty and curiosity believable as the mystery around the house starts to unfold. Anne Hathaway does not have a huge amount to do because of her character's condition, but whenever she is actually on screen, she brings the energy you would expect from her.

Josh Hartnett is another highlight, and I have been enjoying watching his comeback. After Trap and Fight or Flight, I'm completely here for it. Hartnett has always been capable of more than Hollywood seemed interested in giving him, and it is great to see him getting worthwhile roles again. I still remember him from the very underrated 30 Days of Night and one of the best war movies ever made, Black Hawk Down. He brings a natural presence to the film that makes it easy to understand why his character works.

Unfortunately, Ismael Cruz Córdova is easily the worst part of the movie. Anytime he was on screen, the story immediately lost me. His performance pulled me out of the movie enough that I kept wishing the role had been recast. The second biggest problem is the pacing. There are stretches where Dakota Johnson is essentially just wandering around the house, and the movie starts to drag. Those scenes could have been tightened considerably without losing anything important.

Despite the questionable pacing and a performance that really should have been recast, Verity is still a good enough thriller to recommend. Dakota Johnson gives her best performance yet, Anne Hathaway makes the most of limited screen time, and Josh Hartnett continues his comeback with another solid role. It is not perfect, but the mystery is strong enough to overcome its weaker choices. Result: B+

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