Lying and Stealing

Lying and Stealing

Year: 2019

Runtime: 100 min

Language: English

Director: Matt Aselton

Echo Score: 50
DramaCrime

A skilled art thief, seeking a chance at redemption, finds an unlikely partner in a seductive con artist. Together, they embark on one final, daring heist, navigating a complex web of deception and danger. As they delve deeper into their plan, they face treacherous moral challenges and must confront the true cost of their freedom and the risks involved in their dangerous game.

Lying and Stealing (2019) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

Get a spoiler-free look at Lying and Stealing (2019) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.

In the glittering underbelly of Los Angeles, a world of glittering galleries and exclusive parties hides a quiet, high‑stakes trade in priceless masterpieces. The city’s elite, draped in designer glamour, move through marble foyers and private salons that double as perfect stages for someone with a particular set of skills. The tone is sleek and seductive, a mix of polished sophistication and the constant hum of danger that lingers just out of sight, promising both allure and peril for anyone daring enough to slip through the cracks.

Ivan Warding moves through this landscape like a shadow in a museum at night, his reputation built on an uncanny ability to take the extraordinary without ever being seen. Though his talent is undeniable, a restless yearning for redemption haunts him, urging him to consider a final, audacious venture that might finally let him step out of the perpetual chase. He carries the weight of his past—the expectations of a ruthless underworld benefactor and the strained ties to a brother whose own battles mirror his own, creating a tension that colors every decision he makes.

Enter Elyse Tibaldi, a charismatic and resourceful con artist whose own ambitions have led her into the same glittering circles Ivan frequents. Their meeting is as much a clash of personalities as it is a partnership of necessity, each recognizing in the other a mirror of their own desperation and yearning for a fresh start. Together, they navigate a maze of deception, where trust is as fragile as the finest porcelain and every whispered promise could be a stepping stone—or a trap.

As the pair plot their ultimate undertaking, the film settles into a mood that balances elegant heist‑craft with a relentless moral tug‑of‑war. The city itself becomes a character, its bright lights and hidden alleyways reflecting the internal conflicts of those who seek freedom through risk. The story teases the audience with the promise of a daring climax, while leaving the true cost of their choices tantalizingly out of reach, urging viewers to wonder just how far two strangers will go when redemption hangs in the balance.

Last Updated: August 10, 2025 at 01:46

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Sleek heist movies with a desperate core like Lying and Stealing

Cunning criminals pulling off high-stakes jobs to escape a dark underworld.If you liked the combination of high-stakes art theft and personal desperation in Lying and Stealing, you'll find similar movies here. These films feature stylish criminals navigating a dangerous underworld, where the glamour of the job is undercut by the dire need for freedom and redemption.

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Narrative Summary

These stories typically follow skilled but desperate protagonists who are coerced or indebted to a powerful criminal entity. Their journey involves planning and executing intricate heists or cons, all while navigating a web of deception, betrayal, and the constant threat of violence, with their ultimate goal being liberation from their circumstances.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here for their shared vibe of juxtaposing cool, calculated criminal expertise with the raw, desperate motivations of the characters. They share a dark tone, steady pacing that builds towards the central job, and a focus on the moral cost of achieving freedom.

Movies about criminal duos planning one last job like Lying and Stealing

Unlikely allies team up for a dangerous final job to secure their freedom.Fans of the dynamic between the art thief and the con artist in Lying and Stealing will enjoy these films. Discover movies where two criminals partner for a final, daring score, navigating double-crosses and danger in hopes of a fresh start, often with bittersweet results.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern centers on the formation and testing of a criminal partnership. The duo must combine their unique skills to overcome elaborate security or outsmart rivals. The central conflict involves building trust under pressure, dealing with a persistent law enforcement agent or crime lord, and surviving the aftermath of the heist, which rarely goes perfectly to plan.

Why These Movies?

These films are connected by the core plot device of the 'one last job' undertaken by a new partnership. They share a moderate narrative complexity, a steady pacing that builds to the climactic heist, and a bittersweet emotional tone where success comes at a significant personal cost.

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Lying and Stealing Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Lying and Stealing

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Lying and Stealing

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