I can tell it’s not a very good liar.

The set-up for “Dangerous Lies” has a young cash-strapped couple, who find themselves inheriting a fortune and dealing with dangerous people along the way. You can easily tell the characters look sarcastic as if they never wanted to be here, and the movie, which found a spot in Netflix’s COVID-19 schedule, is more run-of-the-mill than it is terrible. Even the poster looks cheesy.

You have Camilla Mendes (“Riverdale”) and Jessie T. Usher as that couple, and they give less-than-impressive performances. The sarcasm I’m referring pertains to them as they look and act like they don’t care about the script or working with director Michael Scott (“Cedar Cove”).

The husband Adam stops a diner robbery by attacking the shooter, and 4-months later, we see him being followed by dangerous men. Why? Because they want something from him. And the wife Katie is a caretaker for an elderly man named Leonard (Elliott Gould), who finds out about her money troubles. And when he suddenly dies, he leaves the young couple his assets and house in his will. Because he deems her his friend, and he had no family, despite a love in his past.

And just as they’re enjoying their would-be comfortable life, they find out more deception within the house. The wife wants to get out, but the husband chooses to stay in. If I had a nickel for every movie or TV wife to say she doesn’t care about money, I’d retire to Boca Raton, Florida. That also applies to the same money problems and stupid mistakes that we’ve seen before and will continue seeing.

There are some interesting co-stars like Gould as Leonard; Michael P. Northey as Katie’s former boss, who suspects the young couple had something to do with the old man’s demise; Cam Gigandet as a suspicious figure planning to buy the house; and Jamie Chung as Leonard’s lawyer, who acts nicer than she seems. Their acting and charisma makes me care about them more than the young actors or Sasha Alexander (“Rizzoli & Isles”) as the main detective.

“Dangerous Lies” was not my cup of tea, because of its formulaic characters and twists we find too easy to anticipate. And it also left me feeling depressed, because Jessie T. Usher has found himself in one crappy movie after another, like “Independence Day: Resurgence,” “Almost Christmas,” and “Shaft.” I think its the writers who underestimate his talents. Maybe he can find himself a good role, if a professional guided him on the right path. And since I’ve never heard of Camilla Mendes, it’s hard for me to say at this point.

It’s not a terrible movie; it’s just a misguided project on Netflix.

⭐️⭐️

Available for Streaming on Netflix

Categories: Thriller