# Hathaway and Johnson impress, but Verity lacks gothic thrills

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/verity-review-hathaway-and-johnson-have-fun-the-movie-doesnt/
- Published: 2026-09-30T22:36:30+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-01T04:54:10+00:00
- Original publisher: Polygon
- Original article: https://www.polygon.com/verity-review/
- Topics: Entertainment, Film

## Key points

- Hathaway and Johnson deliver committed performances in an overly cautious thriller adaptation.
- Strong premise and star power undermined by director's refusal to embrace genre conventions.
- Entertaining but ultimately underwhelming take on a bestselling novel.

## Summary

Michael Showalter's film adaptation of "Verity," a bestselling erotic thriller novel, features compelling performances from Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson but is ultimately undermined by the director's overly cautious approach. The film had all the ingredients for a gripping genre piece—a Gothic premise, A-list talent, and a complex plot involving a paralysed author, a struggling ghostwriter, and romantic tension—but Showalter's reluctance to fully embrace the melodrama and darkness the genre demands results in a technically competent but underwhelming final product.

Hathaway stars as Verity Crawford, a celebrated author left paralysed after a car accident, with Johnson playing Lowen Ashleigh, a struggling writer hired by Verity's husband Jeremy (Josh Hartnett) to ghostwrite from their remote Vermont mansion. Both actresses deliver committed, playful performances, with Hathaway particularly excelling when portraying Verity's unvarnished true self through a secret manuscript, demonstrating her willingness to embrace the trashy, melodramatic tone the film occasionally aspires to. However, the director's safer sensibilities consistently pull back from the transgressive thrills that make erotic thrillers work, leaving the audience with an entertaining but ultimately just-adequate viewing experience.

## Coverage

- [Polygon: Hathaway and Johnson impress, but Verity lacks gothic thrills](https://www.polygon.com/verity-review/)
- [The Guardian: Verity review – Dakota Johnson leaves teethmarks as she goes back to Fifty Shades erotic thriller territory](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/sep/30/verity-review-dakota-johnson-anne-hathaway-josh-hartnett)
- [Daily Mail: Dakota Johnson appears to run out of patience and says 'I'm gonna leave' as Anne Hathaway takes charge and directs photographers on Verity red carpet](https://www.dailymail.com/tvshowbiz/article-16172035/Dakota-Johnson-appears-run-patience-says-Im-gonna-leave-Anne-Hathaway-takes-charge-directs-photographers-Verity-red-carpet.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490)
- [Variety: Box Office: ‘Verity’ Aims for $35 Million Debut and Anne Hathaway’s Third No. 1 Movie of the Year, ‘Digger’ Could Bomb With $12 Million](https://variety.com/2026/film/box-office/verity-box-office-opening-weekend-projection-1236893670/)

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.