Verity review roundup: Anne Hathaway shines, but critics say the twists fall flat
The Colleen Hoover adaptation Verity, starring Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson, has been a box office hit but a critical disappointment. Reviewers enjoy its trashy fun and Hathaway's performance, while most say the thriller's twists fail to land.
The story (no spoilers)
Lowen Ashleigh, a struggling writer played by Dakota Johnson, is hired to finish a popular book series by Verity Crawford, played by Anne Hathaway, after an accident leaves the bestselling author unable to write.
Moving into the Crawford family home to go through Verity's notes, Lowen discovers an unfinished autobiography full of unsettling confessions, and grows closer to Verity's husband, Jeremy, played by Josh Hartnett.
Where to watch or download
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The verdict
Fun for fans of the book or of glossy, over-the-top thrillers, ideally with friends. Anyone hoping for a genuinely clever mystery should, according to critics, wait for streaming.
- 31%Rotten TomatoesTomatometer, 181 reviews, 18 Oct 2026
- 44MetacriticMetascore, 35 critic reviews, 18 Oct 2026
- 71%RT audiencePopcornmeter, 1,000+ verified ratings, 18 Oct 2026
What critics say
“Ultimately, Verity is just plain fun.”
“Hathaway's performance comes deliciously to life”
“this proudly dumb-fun thriller could have stood to be a little smarter.”
“Another abysmal adaptation of a Colleen Hoover novel”
What works
- Anne Hathaway relishes her role.
- Plenty of glossy, trashy fun for fans of the genre.
What doesn't
- The big twists land flat instead of surprising.
- Squanders the talents of its two leads, according to The New Yorker.
- Not as clever as it wants to be.
Verity, Amazon MGM Studios' adaptation of Colleen Hoover's bestselling 2018 thriller, opened in US cinemas on 2 October 2026 and topped the box office in its first weekend. Critics have been much harder to please: it has a 31% Tomatometer score from 181 reviews and a Metascore of 44, while audiences on Rotten Tomatoes are far kinder at 71%.
What critics liked
The more forgiving reviews treat it as a guilty pleasure. Screen Rant called it just plain fun, and AwardsWatch enjoyed the way Anne Hathaway's performance comes deliciously to life. TheWrap noted that much of the film's appeal rests on its stars, and the Rotten Tomatoes critics' consensus agrees that it has the ingredients of a fun, trashy thriller.
Where it falls short
The same consensus says the plot twists land with a thud instead of shocking viewers, and that is the most common complaint. Screen Daily described a proudly dumb thriller that could have been smarter, The New Yorker felt the melodramatic power of Dakota Johnson and Anne Hathaway is squandered, and IGN was the harshest, calling it another poor Colleen Hoover adaptation.
Should you watch?
If you loved the novel or enjoy glossy, over-the-top thrillers, critics suggest you will have a good time, especially with friends. If you want a twisty mystery that genuinely surprises, the reviews suggest this one will disappoint. It is still in cinemas.
Sources
This roundup summarises the reviews and reporting below. Follow the links for the full pieces.
- Verity critic reviews · Metacritic
- Verity · Rotten Tomatoes
- Verity (2026) · Fandango
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