Review of The Whole Truth (2016) by Richard B — 09 Jun 2018

This plot is so contrived, the acting by Keanu Reeves so stilted, and the direction so uninspired that this film is cringe-worthy in the second degree. In particular, if you want to see why Keanu Reeves is considered one of the most wooden and inauthentic actors still managing to get work in major film productions, just watch one or more scenes of this film to be sufficiently appalled.

If he's placed in an action film and not required to be emotionally complex or show any range (Matrix, John Wick), he can fake his way through. But here, even his walk is as stiff as a steel beam, so it's impossible to feel any real empathy for his character, an earnest but dull lawyer supposedly stuck with an impossible client.

Renee Zellweger is almost equally devoid of acting chops. I feel sorry for the couple of actors who are actually talented and have to suffer through lesser roles against the awful leads. But all the acting deficiencies might have been less glaring if the story had any compelling elements.

Unfortunately, this won't even serve as one of those movies you can laugh it for its embarrassing badness. It's nothing but a dumb, dull dud. And that's the whole truth, so help me gawd.