First Hit: I loved seeing refined actors Ian McKellen and Helen Mirren parry their way through this story.
McKellen, playing Roy Courtnay, is confidence flim-flam man. He bilks people out of their money with confidence schemes.
In initial scenes, we see him setting up to dupe, what we think are a couple of Russians out of money. As the con unfolds, we learn differently because of the twist in the second meeting. Roy appears trustworthy and it is not lost on the people being conned that this is because he’s old and creates an air of age-old trust and confidence. His leading partner in his schemes is Vincent (James Carter).
Mirren, as Betty McLeish, is introduced to us by showing her entering information on the “Distinctive Dating” site. She lives in a tranquil neighborhood, is a widow, and has a son. Her son Stephen (Russell Tovey) is portrayed as working in Germany as a researcher, visiting his mom often, and being very productive of her
Roy knows that he can find well-to-do women on this dating site and maybe con one of these women out of their money. He sets his sights on Betty.
Betty and Roy email back and forth and then meet at a restaurant. It’s a sweet setting, and the dialogue is disarming, but because we know Roy’s intent, we worry for Betty. They both confess that the names they put on their website profiles are fake, and this confession brings them closer.
Roy tells Vincent that Betty might be worth a couple hundred thousand pounds and they begin their plot to con her. The sticking point is that Roy begins to like Betty. At least, that’s what we are supposed to believe. It was hard to buy Roy’s suddenly becoming attracted to Betty because it has been revealed that he is playing the doddering old man and is really an experienced and sharp-as-a-tack swindler.
As Roy and Vincent begin to run their scam, Stephen speaks out several times, letting Roy and Betty know that he thinks this relationship is going too fast, and when Roy moves into Betty’s spare bedroom, he’s on high alert. Vincent and Roy also learn that she’s worth well over two million pounds, and with this knowledge they salivate at this potentially huge score.
Roy and Betty plan a trip to Germany together to celebrate their relationship. After arriving in Berlin, Stephen surprisingly shows up to be their tour guide. The very surprised and wary Roy is led to a room in a building where Roy’s real past is partially exposed. Stephen has done his research. This set of scenes allowed me to figure out the ending early, though there are numerous other twists after these events.
However, know that nothing is really telegraphed in this film, and the additional twists and turns make this storyline work.
Eventually, Roy and Betty decide to spend their time together in a more permanent way and determine that by combining their bank accounts they can take advantage of some investment opportunities and tax advantages as outlined by Vincent.
When the scheme unfolds in full bloom, just deserts are well served and wonderfully delivered.
McKellen was excellent as Roy. It’s lovely to see him get a juicy role that allows him to be different characters. As Roy he had to slide from one to the other effortlessly and quickly. Mirren always delivers her role in a way that makes it believable. She can be soft and vulnerable and fierce all within a single scene, and it works well here as she is outstanding. Carter was also strong as Roy’s partner. He’s so smooth when presenting his investment scheme knowing just when to back off and let the target finish the selling job for him. Tovey was perfect as the “son” of Betty, who tied all the pieces of the puzzle together and made the story work. Mark Lewis Jones, as Bryn, one of Roy and Vincent’s earlier targets, was solid. Jeffrey Hatcher wrote an excellent screenplay. Bill Condon let these veteran actors come alive.
Overall: It was fun to watch veterans work together to make this story come alive.