There’s a sickening feeling you’ll get in the pit of your stomach as you watch White Lie.

To know central character Katie is faking her cancer diagnosis and raising money from unwitting fellow students and parents is absolutely appalling.

And yet, somehow, we can’t completely write Katie off. She’s sympathetic, and we continue to root for her to find that right path. That, right there, is what makes writer-director duo Yonah Lewis and Calvin Thomas’ feature remarkable.

As the walls close in around our protagonist, Arrow alum and The Magicians star Kacey Rohl manages to make us root for her escape from scrutiny. This is a performance that truly, entirely consumes the viewer.

Rohl completely steals this film and gives one of the best performances of the year. Though Martin Donovan and Locke & Key star Connor Jessup turn up and are stalwart support, it’s Rohl who shines.

Perhaps most intense is how the girlfriend of Katie, Jennifer (played by Amber Anderson), absolutely believes her lover above all else. Despite the mounting contrary evidence and Katie’s own father’s doubt, Jennifer remains strong.

The tale brings huge emotions to this complex story, and makes it one of the most absorbing films of the year.

4.5/5 Stars