SummaryShriver (Michael Shannon), a down-on-his-luck handyman who has never read a book in his life, is mistaken for a famous writer that has been in hiding for over 20 years. With nothing to lose, he accepts an invitation to attend a college literary festival and finds himself surrounded by adoring fans and an English professor (Kate Hudson) who captur... Read More
Directed By:Michael Maren
Written By:Michael Maren, Chris Belden
A Little White Lie
Metascore
Mixed or Average
42
User score
Universal Acclaim
8.3
My Score
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Top Cast
Metascore
Mixed or Average
25% Positive
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
38% Mixed
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
38% Negative
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
Feb 28, 2023
75
Maren’s direction is tonally right, full of warmth and touches of humor; he makes it an inviting film to watch.
Mar 3, 2023
67
Despite being a bit tonally uneven, A Little White Lie is a lovable indie dramedy led by the always delightful Michael Shannon and Kate Hudson that is worth bookmarking.
Feb 28, 2023
58
The execution of the simultaneous mistaken identity and fish-out-of-water shenanigans that ensue is oddly muted; you keep waiting for Maren to amp up the comic energy and narrative complications, but it isn’t until the satisfyingly madcap climax that he really does.
Mar 6, 2023
40
All of A Little White Lie’s problems can be summarized by Alex Wurman’s score. At first promising, inviting and light to compliment the fundamental cheeriness of the genre, it becomes all-encompassing, bearing down on the viewer with a menacing edge.
Mar 8, 2023
30
Director Maren doesn’t trust Shannon to convey this inner monologue via his performance — just one example of the film’s plodding lack of wit or sophistication.
Mar 2, 2023
30
Hobbled by a lack of visual oomph or verbal sparkle, A Little White Lie pokes feebly at impostor syndrome and writerly insecurity.
Mar 3, 2023
25
The film's biggest con doesn't come from this imposter protagonist so much as the messy script and direction that squanders an amusing-enough premise, and the apathetic performances from A-listers in search of a purpose other than fulfilling a contractual obligation.
User score
Universal Acclaim
91% Positive
10 Ratings
10 Ratings
9% Mixed
1 Rating
1 Rating
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
Jan 21, 2025
8
This film is a hidden gem. It is a mind twister and a puzzle full with misdirection. I found myself ranting a bit from irritation with the pace of the story and considered hitting the kill switch. But just as my hand hovered over it, I found myself caught in the mind trap plot. Is he or isn’t he? And then when I thought I had the plot figured out with the hero becoming the anti hero, disappointment reigns, in came another head feint. Fabulous writing and well acted.
Oct 27, 2023
7
IN A NUTSHELL:
The original title for this movie was “Shriver.”
When a handyman living in New York City is mistaken for a famous and famously reclusive writer, he’s brought to a university where he is to deliver a keynote address to save the school’s literary festival.
The movie was written and directed by Michael Maren. He heard Chris Belden read from his novel “Shriver” while in a bookstore in Massachusetts. Michael Mare was so excited about it that he immediately optioned the movie rights. THINGS I LIKED:
The fantastic cast includes Oscar-nominated Michael Shannon, Golden Globe winners Kate Hudson and Don Johnson, award-winners Zach Braff and Wendie Malick, Lincoln Shining Star award winner Aja Naomi King, and Da’Vine Joy Randolph.
The university that’s featured in the movie is the real-life campus of the University of Redlands in California.
I’m a university professor and could definitely relate to some of the frustrations and nuances that were illustrated by the various instructors in the story.
If you are a lover of literature, you’ll get a kick out of this satire.
The dialogue is entertaining and even insightful at times.
As an author of 31 books (you can find them all on Amazon!), I really enjoyed this. All authors feel like imposters at one point. Imposter syndrome is real. We feel compelled to write yet are often shocked that anyone would really want to read what we have penned. Readers have no idea how important their book reviews are. We can fly for hours with a good review, and yet die a thousand deaths with a bad one. Please be kind when you write your reviews! And please leave some of my books a review! Thanks
!I love that the movie kept me guessing and doubting myself as I tried to figure out who Michael Shannon’s real character was.
The movie does a great job illustrating how we question our own identity and talents. THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:
With all that award-winning star power, the movie should be better than it is.
For a movie about an incredible writer, the writing in the movie should have also been better than it was.
So many awkward moments.
Some critics have complained that the movie is messy and dull. I disagree. I really enjoyed it. TIPS FOR PARENTS: Kids will be bored because every scene is just adults talking.
Some profanity, including an F-bomb.
