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The Good Liar (2019) movie poster

Timeline

The Good Liar (2019) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2019 · 109 min · English
Echo score 59
Directed by
Bill Condon
Starring
Helen Mirren, Julian Ferro, Ruth Horrocks, Sonia Goswami, Ian McKellen, Michael Culkin
Budget
$10M

A seasoned con artist targets a wealthy widow online, but their connection unexpectedly evolves into a complex romance. As Roy pursues his deceptive scheme, he finds himself developing real feelings for his mark, blurring the lines between his profession and a chance at genuine love. He must then confront the consequences of his actions and the potential for heartbreak.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (14)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like The Good Liar
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch The Good Liar (2019)

Where can you watch The Good Liar? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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14 events in order · contains spoilers

The Good Liar Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of The Good Liar (2019) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Roy Courtnay's Introduction

    The story begins with Roy Courtnay, an aging con artist from Britain, who together with his partner Vincent, manipulates unsuspecting victims. Their manipulative schemes are largely focused on accessing the wealth of affluent individuals through deception.

    When
    2009
    Where
    Britain
  2. Targeting Betty McLeish

    In 2009, Roy sets his sights on Betty McLeish, a grieving former professor who has significant savings. He exploits her vulnerability after the death of her husband and concocts a plan to charm his way into her life.

    Where
    Betty's Home
  3. Feigned Injury and Deception

    Roy pretends to have a severe knee injury to gain access to Betty's home. This ruse allows him to slowly convince her to open a joint offshore investment account under his false pretenses.

    Where
    Betty's Home
  4. The Dubious Investment Scheme

    Alongside Vincent, Roy runs a fraudulent investment scheme involving an unsuspecting man named Bryn. By pretending to make a significant contribution, they trick Bryn into believing he can easily double his money.

  5. Silencing a Threat

    As their plans progress, a Polish butcher, posed as a Russian ally, demands more money from Roy. In a chilling act of violence, Roy pushes Bryn into an oncoming train, eliminating the threat of his betrayal.

    Where
    Charing Cross Tube Station
  6. Vacation in Berlin

    Roy and Betty take a vacation in Berlin, where Roy pretends not to understand German. During their trip, Betty's grandson reveals the history of a man named Roy Courtnay, stirring suspicions about Roy's true identity.

    Where
    Berlin
  7. Revelation of a Dark Past

    Betty's curiosity leads her to uncover Roy's past identity as Hans Taub, a German translator involved in darker deeds. This moment marks a significant turning point as Betty begins to question Roy's true nature.

    Where
    Berlin
  8. Stripping the Home Bare

    Roy discovers he has misplaced the means to access his joint account and returns to Betty's home. Shockingly, he finds that Betty has turned the place upside down, stripping it bare and ready to confront him.

    Where
    Betty's Home
  9. Lili's True Identity

    In a harrowing confrontation, Betty reveals herself as Lili, recounting their shared tragic past during the war. She shares the devastating consequences of Roy's actions that led to her family’s suffering.

    Where
    Betty's Home
  10. Draining the Joint Account

    With her plan set in motion, Lili drains the joint account, leaving Roy with nothing but debts to pay. This act represents a profound reversal of power between them, turning the tables on Roy's manipulative tactics.

  11. Struggle for Control

    In a desperate attempt to regain control, Roy locks Lili in and attacks her. However, Lili proves to be stronger than he anticipated and manages to thwart his attempt before escaping.

    Where
    Betty's Home
  12. Confrontation with Bryn's Accomplices

    After Lili escapes, Roy faces dire consequences for his betrayals, being confronted by Bryn’s accomplices. They assault him, leaving him to deal with the repercussions of his deceitful life.

  13. Roy's Downfall

    Weeks later, Roy finds himself in a hospital bed, his mind barely intact from the consequences of his schemes. This marks the culmination of his life's work as a con artist, showcasing the tragic fallout of his actions.

    Where
    Hospital
  14. Lili's New Beginning

    In stark contrast to Roy, Lili thrives surrounded by her family, signifying her resilience in the aftermath of their tumultuous past. Her new life is a testament to strength amidst betrayal, showcasing the moral consequence of their intertwined fates.

    Where
    Lili's Home

Last updated: October 31, 2024 at 15:14

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Timeline questions answered

The Good Liar Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of The Good Liar (2019): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Roy develop genuine feelings for Betty if he's only conning her?

Despite his lifelong career as a con artist who routinely steals from widows, Roy finds himself emotionally vulnerable with Betty. Her intelligence, wit, and the genuine connection they share cause him to lower his defenses, a rare occurrence for someone whose entire existence is built on deception. This emotional entanglement becomes his fatal weakness, as he begins prioritizing his time with Betty over his usual careful planning, ultimately leading to his downfall.

  • roy courtnay
  • betty mcleish
  • con artist
  • feelings
  • romance
  • deception
Q2

What is Roy's past as Hans Taub?

Roy Courtnay's true identity is actually Hans Taub, a German translator who operated during and after WWII. After stealing the identity of a dead British soldier named Roy Courtnay, he created a new life in Britain. During the war, Hans was involved in horrific acts, executing civilians and committing other atrocities. When Betty's grandson investigates Roy's history in Berlin, he uncovers documents revealing that Roy Courtnay was actually a British soldier killed by a Nazi operative using the name Hans Taub.

  • hans Taub
  • Roy Courtnay
  • identity
  • WWII
  • Nazi
  • German translator
Q3

How does Betty discover Roy's true identity?

Betty's grandson Michael, along with his partner Steven, uses DNA evidence and historical records to trace Roy's criminal past. During their vacation in Berlin, Betty's grandson reveals the history of a man named Roy Courtnay, a soldier who fell victim to a Nazi operative in 1948. This investigation exposes that the man calling himself Roy Courtnay is actually Hans Taub, a German war criminal who assumed a stolen British identity.

  • betty discovers
  • Roy identity
  • Berlin
  • investigation
  • DNA
  • Hans Taub
Q4

Why does Betty want revenge on Roy?

Betty is actually Lili, a German teenager who survived WWII trauma directly caused by Hans Taub (Roy's true identity). During the war, Roy's alter ego Hans was responsible for executing her father and subjecting Lili herself to brutal violence. After decades of suffering from this traumatic past, Lili carefully orchestrated her entire revenge scheme, becoming 'Betty McLeish' and deliberately targeting Roy as his next victim to make him pay for what he did to her family.

  • betty revenge
  • Lili
  • Hans Taub
  • WWII trauma
  • family execution
Q5

Why does Roy kill Bryn by pushing him onto the train tracks?

Roy kills Bryn because Bryn had been following Roy during his meetings with Betty, suspecting betrayal after the Polish butcher demanded more money and Roy refused. Bryn represented a threat to Roy's entire scheme, his observations could expose the fraudulent operation. To eliminate this liability and protect his con, Roy lures Bryn to Charing Cross tube station and pushes him in front of an oncoming train, committing murder to silence someone who knew too much about his criminal activities.

  • bryn
  • train murder
  • charing cross
  • kill
  • eliminate threat
Q6

How does Betty manage to reverse the con and drain the account?

After discovering Roy's true identity and dark past, Betty executes a meticulous revenge plan. When Roy realizes he has misplaced the access means to their joint offshore account and returns to her home, he finds she has already stripped the place bare. Betty reveals her true identity as Lili and, with her grandson's help, drains the joint account entirely, leaving Roy with barely enough money to repay his other victims. She turns the tables completely on the con artist.

  • joint account
  • drain
  • reversal
  • betty wins
  • offshore account
Q7

What happens to Roy at the end of the movie?

After Betty escapes from Roy's violent attack where he tried to lock her in and stop her, Roy is confronted by Bryn's accomplices seeking revenge for Bryn's murder. They brutally assault him. Weeks later, Roy is left in a hospital bed with his mind barely intact, physically and cognitively broken. This tragic downfall contrasts sharply with Lili's happy ending surrounded by family, representing the ultimate consequences of his lifetime of deception, violence, and betrayal.

  • roy hospital
  • downfall
  • assault
  • broken
  • ending
Q8

What happened between Roy and Lili during WWII?

During WWII, Roy (then known as Hans Taub) was a German translator and Nazi operative who committed atrocities against civilians in Germany. Lili, then a teenager, was one of his victims, her father was executed by Hans, and Lili herself suffered brutal violence at his hands. Hans stole the identity of a dead British soldier to escape justice and build a new life as Roy Courtnay. Decades later, Lili discovered his true identity and meticulously planned her revenge, targeting him as a con victim to make him suffer as she had.

  • WWII
  • Lili
  • Hans Taub
  • atrocities
  • teenager
  • execution
Q9

Why does Roy pretend not to understand German during the Berlin trip?

Roy pretends to be ignorant of German to maintain his cover as a simple British con artist with no connection to Germany. However, his fluency is exposed when he clearly understands German conversations around him without reacting, this slip-up is noted by Betty and contributes to her growing suspicion about his true identity and past.

  • berlin
  • german
  • pretends
  • understand
  • language
Q10

What role does the Polish butcher play in the story?

The Polish butcher, posing as one of Roy's fake Russian investors in the fraudulent investment scheme, demands more compensation for his participation. This creates tension with Roy, who refuses to pay. This conflict triggers Bryn to follow Roy, suspicious of being betrayed, ultimately leading to Roy murdering Bryn to protect his scheme from being exposed.

  • polish butcher
  • russian investor
  • money demand
  • bryln threat

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Good Liar, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes The Good Liar tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about calculated revenge like The Good Liar

Stories where a meticulous plan for vengeance unfolds with dark satisfaction. If you enjoyed the intricate revenge plot of The Good Liar, you'll appreciate these movies where characters execute long-planned retribution. This section features similar thrillers and dramas about meticulous payback, betrayal, and stories where the predator becomes the prey, delivering a satisfying sense of poetic justice.

  • revenge-driven
  • calculating
  • tense
  • suspenseful
  • grim
  • unsettling
  • Tone: dark, tense, grim
  • Pacing: steady, methodical build
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives typically begin with a past trauma or betrayal that defines the protagonist's motivation. The story then jumps forward in time, following the methodical steps of a revenge plot that is slowly revealed to the audience. The climax involves a confrontation where the tables are turned, often uncovering hidden identities and long-buried secrets, resulting in a resolution that emphasizes justice over pure victory.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped together because they share a core narrative of meticulous, long-game revenge. They create a specific mood of grim satisfaction, combining suspense with a dark exploration of morality. The pacing is often steady, building tension as the revenge scheme unfolds, and the emotional weight is heavy, focusing on the lasting impact of trauma and the price of justice.

Thrillers with deceptive identities like The Good Liar

Thrillers where nothing is as it seems, and trust is the ultimate gamble. Fans of the hidden motives and dual identities in The Good Liar will find more to love here. Discover similar mystery and crime movies where con artists, spies, or ordinary people living a lie navigate a world of shifting trust. These films keep you guessing with their complex characters and suspenseful reveals.

  • deceptive
  • suspenseful
  • unsettling
  • tense
  • calculating
  • psychological
  • Tone: dark, tense, unsettling
  • Pacing: steady, suspenseful
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves a central character (or characters) adopting a false identity for personal gain, safety, or revenge. The plot revolves around the increasing difficulty of sustaining the deception as relationships deepen and external pressures mount. A major revelation or a series of twists recontextualizes the entire story, forcing characters to confront the reality they have constructed and its impact on themselves and others.

Why they belong together: These movies are united by their focus on deception as a core driver of plot and character development. They share a mood of constant suspense and unease, making the viewer question every interaction. The tone is often dark or tense, with a complex narrative structure that demands attention to detail, rewarding viewers with shocking twists and profound moral questions.

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Every angle

The Good Liar (2019) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about The Good Liar in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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