Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
An Honest Liar tells the incredible story of the world-famous magician, escape artist, and world-renowned enemy of deception, James 'The Amazing' Randi. The film brings to life Randi's intricate investigations that publicly exposed psychics, faith healers, and con-artists with quasi-religious fervor. A master deceiver who came out of the closet at the age of 81, Randi created fictional characters, fake psychics, and even turned his partner of 25 years, Jose Alvarez, into a sham guru named Carlos.
An Honest Liar benefits enormously from its extraordinary subject: James Randi is a genuinely singular figure whose life story — magician, skeptic crusader, late-life coming out, and the Carlos hoax — provides compelling, layered narrative material that few documentaries can match. Novelty is high because Randi himself is so distinctive and the film captures a one-of-a-kind voice and worldview. The acting category for documentaries reflects the presence and authenticity of on-screen subjects, which is solid but unremarkable. Cinematography is competent documentary filmmaking — archival footage is well-integrated but nothing visually groundbreaking. The plot structure works well in the first two-thirds but the third act, dealing with Jose Alvarez's identity complications, feels somewhat rushed and unresolved, keeping Ending at average. Overall a well-above-average documentary elevated primarily by its remarkable subject.