The words “find what you love and let it kill you” are the sole message of the recent book-to-movie adaptation, “Verity.” If you’re looking for something psychologically thrilling and equally unsettling for this season, take a look at the mental turmoil that is “Verity.”
“Verity” premiered in theatres on Oct. 2, and is based on the book by Colleen Hoover, with the same name. It follows Lowen Ashleigh, a struggling author who is grieving the death of her mother. Lowen is facing financial ruin, and her only way out is as a ghostwriter for Verity Crawford–a renowned author known for her psychological thrillers and murder novels. After a mysterious car crash left Verity catatonic and incapable of communication.
Verity’s husband, Jeremy Crawford, seeks out Lowen Ashleigh to finish Verity’s incomplete series that she is contracted to finish. While at first cautious and unsure, Jeremy convinces Lowen that she is fit for the job, and Lowen is then invited to stay at the Crawford household to sort through Verity’s office filled with notes and book outlines in order to write.
What may seem like an easy task turns out to be no easy feat, as Lowen is faced with the unsettling nature of the household. Lowen learns of the tragic death of their daughter, Harper Crawford, and is plagued by visions of a mobile Verity, which is impossible due to her condition. While sorting through the notes in Verity’s office, Lowen finds a flash drive in a cigarette box. Assuming that this contains more outline information, Lowen downloads and prints the contents of the flash drive.
Lowen quickly learns that this is unlike any of the work Verity has previously produced–it is an autobiography. A disgusting summation of her life up until the crash, with raw, unfiltered, and terrifying accounts of Verity’s crude mentality. In it, she confesses, “One should walk away from an autobiography with at best an uncomfortable distaste for its author.”
While shocked at the contents of the autobiography, Lowen cannot stop reading, torn between what is the truth and what is a mere plot point. The manuscript covers Verity’s journey through adulthood and motherhood, depicting how she fell in love with Jeremy, her love for writing, and the birth of her twins, Harper and Crew. Even though these may seem like innocent thoughts, they actually reveal the nature of Verity and her sick obsession with being the only person Jeremy loved, with no sense of compassion or empathy.
The film then follows Lowen as she navigates this information and her growing feelings for Jeremy. The close proximity of the home, and romantic recounts in the autobiography heightened Lowen’s connection with both Jeremy and Crew. After an accident that puts Crew in the hospital, Lowen is left to look after Verity on her own, and she decides to reveal her findings to Jeremy.
Without a second thought, Jeremy believes Lowen’s confession and the autobiography. This then descends into a fit of misunderstandings and violence, as Jeremy and Lowen try to bring justice.
Months later, after legal hurdles and a book publication, Lowen finds a lifted piece of wood in Verity’s old bedroom. Upon opening it, she finds a letter. In it, Verity has a handwritten confession that challenges everything in the autobiography, leaving viewers and Lowen with one question: Which is the truth, the manuscript or the letter?
The most fascinating part of this film was its complexity. Viewers are constantly questioning their sanity and are left utterly disgusted by the events outlined in the manuscript. The existence of Verity and the proof of her horrid actions are spread throughout the home, and Lowen has to decide: how far is too far for justice?
In relation to the book by Colleen Hoover, this is a pretty faithful adaptation. It is difficult to convey what a book can onto the screen, especially one such as this, that is so reliant on switching between two storylines, one of which is conveyed through an autobiography. The movie did a great job at presenting this to viewers, and despite its dark content, it is worth the watch.
Whether you’re still seeking some more spooky films to commemorate the season, or looking for your next watch, this film is perfect. It’s filled with suspense, horror, and a hint of romance.
