Lowen Ashleigh, hired to ghostwrite for Verity Crawford, uncovers what appears to be Verity’s autobiographical notes. She wrestles with confessions about Verity’s husband and finds it hard to separate fiction from reality.
Anne Hathaway as the title character lifelessly portrays, by design, a famous author that sells tons of books in the manner of say, a Colleen Hoover. Well-known and really wealthy, Verity Crawford now resides – unable to move or speak or apparently even assimilate information from her external environment – in a motorized chair totally dependent on others for care, feeding, dressing, continence, etc. In a series of flashbacks, however, Hathaway brings out her acting chops, depicting life before the debilitating car accident.
Dakota Johnson as Lowen Ashleigh gets an offer to ghostwrite Verity’s final installments for an immensely popular series, since, in her condition, she can’t do it herself. It’s a job Lowen can’t turn down because of her financial straits. While not without talent – her own novels received critical recognition – the sales never took off as hoped.
Josh Hartnett as Jeremy Crawford, Verity’s hunky and charming husband, plays true to form. Not surprisingly – and one of the few occurrences in this screen adaptation that can be seen coming from a mile away because it’s not completely preposterous – a romantic attraction develops between Jeremy and Lowen. Why not? What’s Verity going to do about it anyway, improbable as it seems that she could even perceive the hanky-panky afoot right under her nose?
Lowen is granted access to all of Verity’s notes to help with her writing project, and in the process, she discovers a flash drive tucked away containing content intended as an autobiography. Page by excruciating page, she reads the manuscript at a snail’s pace in an ostensible attempt to heighten the dramatic tension. Rescuing viewers from the tedium, Hathaway’s riveting voice-over narration breathes life into the otherwise sluggish and absurd storyline.
Set design, with the exquisite and unique Crawford home nestled in the lovely woods of Vermont rightfully taking center stage, is spot on. Similarly, the score has its merits, albeit sometimes misleading, often suggesting more in store than the events ultimately have to offer.
Dancing around spoilers keeps much more from being said about the picture for those who may not yet have had the pleasure, loosely defined, of the source material. Directed by Michael Showalter, with a screenplay by Nick Antosca and based on the multi-million-copy bestseller by Colleen Hoover, the film offers intrigue if not lucidity. Fans of Hoover’s previous work will likely find elements to enjoy, though newcomers will almost certainly remain perplexed about the appeal. It’s the sort of outing that might make for interesting conversation afterward, but otherwise falls far short of mesmerizing entertainment.
In Theaters Friday, October 2nd
