Reel Review: We Were Liars Gives a Sentimental Spin to a YA Thriller
We Were Liars is Prime Video’s newest release, and while the series may look like a lighthearted Summer vibe, the story dives deeper into one family filled with secrets, deception, and heartbreak. Based on the novel by E. Lockhart, the series follows Cadence (Emily Alyn Lind) and the rest of the Sinclair family as they return to their private beach island every Summer.
One particular Summer changes Cadence’s life when she finds herself unconscious and washed up on shore with a head injury. Forgetting the last year of her life, Cadence relies on the help of her cousins and best friends Mirren (Esther McGregor), Johny (Joseph Zada), and Gat (Shubham Maheshwari) to help her remember who she is and what happened to her that night on the beach.
The show stars Lind, McGregor, Zada, and Maheshwari as our core four, who call themselves the ‘Liars’. Together they navigate relationships, family dynamics, society, and everything else that life throws their way. These actors have such a close bond, and it is apparent in every scene. The onscreen chemistry can be felt and it’s what makes the Sinclairs feel like a real family.
Cadence’s journey to finding her own truth leads to her uncovering secrets about her family. She soon discovers the kind of people her grandfather, mother, and aunts really are after the sudden loss of her grandmother. The head of the family, Harris Sinclair is played by David Morse and the three Sinclair daughters are played by Candance King, Mamie Gummer, and Caitlin FitzGerald. These actors each bring something unique to their characters; the ability to suppress their emotions.
The series leans heavily into toxic family dynamics and what it feels like to break the cycle. Cadence and her cousins grew up with a family who hides their feelings and covers their secrets either by lying or with money. And when Cadence finally regains her memories, she decides to take control of her own life after learning what really happened that night.
We Were Liars uses a unique way of storytelling to show Cadence’s journey, but the story wouldn’t have worked any other way. Switching between the Summer of her accident and the modern day, the viewers are trying to connect the dots alongside Cadence. And it isn’t until Episode 8, where we discover everything through an emotional revelation.
When Cadence finally regains her memory, she discovers that it was a house fire that set her journey in motion. After fleeing from the scene, Cadence falls into a lake and injures her head. Her conscience becomes even clearer when she finds that Mirren, Johny, and Gat had died in the fire. And who she’d been talking to all Summer, was just a figment of her mind!
This final revelation was heartbreaking in so many ways. The show pushes you to fall in love with these characters just as Cadence did, and the ending shifts everything you thought you knew. We Were Liars teaches us that family can be made, cycles can be broken, and memories can live on forever.
We Were Liars is now available to binge on Prime Video!
