‘Verity’ Lands a Divisive Rotten Tomatoes Score, and Critics Are Split on the Hathaway and Johnson Thriller

Colleen Hoover adaptations arrive with a built-in audience and a difficult reputation. The novels sell in enormous numbers, but the movies have had a harder time winning over critics. That tension has become a running storyline in Hollywood.

‘Verity’ was expected to change that pattern. Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Hartnett star in the psychological thriller, which Amazon MGM Studios spent years developing and promoting with a glossy red carpet campaign. After all that buildup, the reviews finally landed.

On September 30, The Hollywood Handle announced that ‘Verity’ debuted with a 54% score on Rotten Tomatoes, noting it arrives in theaters this Friday. The screenshot shows the Tomatometer that is based on 28 reviews, with no Popcornmeter score yet.

The figure has already shifted as more critics weigh in. Deadline reported a 52% score based on 29 reviews shortly after the embargo lifted at 9 a.m. PT, and MovieWeb later cited 50% from 30 reviews. Screen Rant noted that individual ratings mostly land between 2 out of 5 and 3 out of 5, so the score is likely to hover around the middle.

The result puts the film at the bottom of Hathaway’s busy 2026 slate. Deadline pointed out that it is her fifth release of the year and the only one rated rotten. The others score 94% for ‘The Odyssey’, 86% for ‘The End of Oak Street’, 78% for ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’, and 69% for ‘Mother Mary’.

‘VERITY’ debuts with a 54% score on Rotten Tomatoes 🍅 In theaters this Friday. https://t.co/u2Hu5OM5HJ

— The Hollywood Handle (@HollywoodHandle) September 30, 2026

The reaction is deeply divided. Variety’s review was among the harshest, arguing that director Michael Showalter shows no feel whatsoever for the erotic thriller genre. The Hollywood Reporter’s Richard Lawson similarly found it neither sexy nor smart, despite its attractive and intelligent cast.

Others were kinder. Screen Rant’s Liz Declan gave the film 8 out of 10 and suggested it may be the best Hoover adaptation yet, adding that Johnson has never looked more comfortable on camera. HeyUGuys’ Linda Marric awarded 3 out of 5, praising its commitment to melodrama, glamour, and twists.

Even negative reviews found something to like. Slashfilm’s Nina Starner gave the movie 2 out of 10 but called Hathaway a saving grace, praising her timing and micro-expressions. Deadline’s Pete Hammond described both leads as magnetic performers and said a few jump scares landed well with his audience.

Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Hartnett star in an all-new trailer for #Verity.

In theaters October 2. pic.twitter.com/niq02J5nO5

— Rotten Tomatoes 🍅 (@RottenTomatoes) August 11, 2026

The most common complaint concerns tone. Several critics said the film is marketed as an erotic thriller but doesn’t deliver enough heat or suspense. Yahoo’s roundup noted that some reviewers felt it never decides whether to be campy or serious, which leaves it feeling uneven.

Mashable’s Kristy Puchko gave a mixed take, finding it weird, sexy, and funny in parts but ultimately rotten overall. Arizona Family’s reviewer said the story fails to settle on an emotional register, while praising the actors’ reputations. The performances, in other words, are getting more credit than the script.

For a film about unreliable narrators and hidden manuscripts, the divided response fits the territory. The story follows Johnson’s struggling writer Lowen Ashleigh, who moves into the estate of Hathaway’s bestselling author Verity Crawford to finish her book series. The deeper she digs, the harder it becomes to know who to trust.

Despite the lukewarm score, the project retains plenty of commercial appeal. Fans of the novel are likely to show up regardless of critical consensus, and the cast has kept the film in the spotlight for weeks. The real test will be how audiences react once the Popcornmeter fills in.

The film opens in theaters on October 2 with an R rating and a runtime of 1 hour and 54 minutes. Until then, the conversation will be dominated by the question of whether critics are being too harsh or too forgiving.

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