Has anyone had a busier 2026 than Anne Hathaway? She starred in David Lowery’s “Mother Mary” which released back in April. Hot on its heels was “The Devil Wears Prada 2”. Her third film of the year was Christopher Nolan’s critical and box office juggernaut, “The Odyssey”. She followed it up with “The End of Oak Street” in August. And that brings us to her fifth and final film of 2026, “Verity”. Oh, and did I mention she’s also pregnant with her third child?

“Verity” is vastly different than Hathaway’s other 2026 films. It’s the latest adaptation of a popular Colleen Hoover novel, this time by screenwriter Nick Antosca. But while it hearkens back to the twisty erotic thrillers of decades past, “Verity” never shows enough confidence in itself regarding what it wants to be. It’s a nagging issue that really rears its head in the final act. And there’s nothing its committed and capable three stars can do to overcome it.

“Verity” plays best as a straight psychological thriller. But rather than really going for it, director Michael Showalter holds back, at least until his big finish, which may not work as attended, but at least it takes a swing. I wish the same was true for the buildup. Instead it spends much of its time stuck in neutral rather than propelling the story forward. Nowhere does it struggle more than in its steamless attempts at being an erotic thriller. And wedging in a handful of provocative scenes doesn’t spice things up at all.

Dakota Johnson plays Lowen Ashleigh, a struggling New York City novelist who’s still grieving the recent loss of her mother to cancer. With the help of her agent Corey (Ismael Cruz Córdova), Lowen lands an exciting opportunity. Verity Crawford (Hathaway) is a best-selling author whose wildly popular Noble Virtues book series has earned her fans across the globe. But a serious car accident has left her in a catatonic state, unable to move or speak on her own.

You may be wondering, what does this have to do with Lowen? Verity’s husband Jeremy (Hartnett) offers her a job as a ghostwriter. He and Verity’s publisher wants Lowen to finish the much anticipated Noble Virtues series – three books, $75,000 per book. Lowen accepts, and after signing her NDA, is invited to stay at the Crawford’s lavish lakeside House in Vermont where Verity has amassed years of notes and outlines. It’s there that the majority of the story unfolds.

Lowen moves in and begins her research. Along the way she learns that Verity’s accident isn’t the only tragedy the family has endured. She finds herself unnerved by Verity who spends her days in a vegetative state. She also finds herself attracted to Jeremy which adds a predictable wrinkle to the story. But things really take a turn after Lowen discovers a hidden flash drive containing Verity’s secretly written autobiography. In it are several dark and twisted revelations that reshape how we and Lowen look at everything going forward.

As the movie progresses it’s barely able to work itself into a mild simmer. It isn’t until the final 20 minutes or so that things finally ramp up. Unfortunately the story doesn’t end on the most satisfying note. Several obvious questions arise and go unanswered. Meanwhile we are asked to believe some pretty outlandish stuff. And that’s before the ridiculous final twist turns the story on its head, and not in a good way.

All of that said, I expect there will still be an audience for “Verity“. And even though there isn’t a spark of romance, no memorable thrills, and nothing remotely erotic, I can see it serviceably satisfying many within its target audience. For me, the film’s saving grace is its cast, namely Hathaway and Hartnett who find ways to pull more from the material than is actually there. Sadly they can’t pull enough to make up for the film’s lukewarm vision and absurd finish.

VERDICT – 2 STARS