Upamanyu Biswas
Lifetime’s ‘The Lies We Bury‘ tells the story of Rylee Kerrigan, an attorney who cracks open an old murder case from decades ago to unravel a grave conspiracy that leaves her in the crosshairs of danger. The thriller film follows her as she begins a new job in Ohio at the law firm run by Tucker Stackhouse, where she stumbles upon an old case file detailing the murder conviction of Stephanie Jeffries, an old friend of Riley’s mom. As she investigates the homicide with the help of Tucker’s grandson, Scott, Riley begins to detect foul play in the evidence and reports collected during the earlier investigation, suggesting something larger is at play. However, she may not get the chance to solve it, as someone is out to make sure she never gets to the bottom of the truth. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Review: Compelling Twists Deterred By Rushed Character Moments
‘The Lies We Bury’ largely manages to keep its mystery compelling through some genuine twists that add suspense and intrigue. The central plot surrounding Linda Turpin’s death is nested within a number of secrets that slowly unravel over time, bringing more drama and conflict to the mix. While the protagonist’s rush to find the truth may be clearly defined, the path to truth isn’t always so straightforward, breeding excitement when a revelation comes to the fore. Additionally, the simple but effective use of red herrings is well-executed and throws the audience off at the right moments, albeit still maintaining coherence in the overarching narrative. It also marries its disparate plotlines quite seamlessly by the end, using every ounce of screen time to build the central mystery.
While it succeeds in hitting its story beats quite well, the movie suffers from a rushed pace at times, specifically in relation to character moments. For instance, Rylee’s relationship with Tucker feels like it has existed for years, unlike someone just starting a new job. He is also incredibly lenient with her despite the fact that she is a new hire looking to prove herself. That element seems to be forgotten quite early on as he makes more and more adjustments to her interest in Stephanie Jeffries’ case. Moreover, Rylee’s desire to find out the truth behind Linda Turpin’s murder is inadequately explained at times. She seems far too attached to the case than is needed, despite the fact there is a family angle to the story. Still, her relentless pursuit keeps the story engaging, promising something unexpected at every turn.
Plot Summary and Ending Explained
The movie begins with Rylee Kerrigan starting a new job under attorney Tucker Stackhouse. She runs into his grandson, Scott Stackhouse, who Tucker says is mostly busy with his “computer games.” On her first day at work, Rylee peruses through some scattered case files in her new office space, which is yet to be cleaned and spruced up properly. She eventually lands upon a case relating to Stephanie Jeffries, an old friend of her mother. Years ago, Stephanie was convicted on charges of murdering Linda Turpin, a teenage worker at a grocery store in Cherry Hill, Ohio. Although Stephanie pleaded guilty in the case, Rylee is intrigued by the reports and questions her mother about what she knows about her old friend. However, her mother is reluctant to say anything about the case and urges Rylee to look for something else to solve.
However, Rylee becomes engrossed with Stephanie’s fate and visits her in prison, telling the detained woman that she is looking into her case once more. Rylee states that a recent campaign by politician Lynn Wright and her popular congressman daughter Elizabeth Gallagher Wright has made it viable for lawyers like her to reopen old trials in case justice was not meted out properly. On the way home, Rylee is run off-road by a ski mask-wearing assailant. Rylee’s mother urges her to stop looking into the matter. However, with the help of Tucker and a reluctant Scott, the protagonist keeps forging ahead with the case. She visits the home of Barbara Lewis Porter, a woman who was meant to testify in the Stephanie Jeffries trial but never showed up. Rylee finds Barbara to be a shady figure and is suspicious that she killed Linda and not Stephanie.
The lawyer also tracks down Peter Bryson, a career criminal, who is seemingly tied to Linda’s death as well. Rylee eventually makes the connection that Peter and Barbara are in a relationship and have a son named Cody Lewis, who the protagonist also meets during her visit to Barbara’s home. Although she is certain that Bryson and Barbara had a hand in Linda’s death, she is still uncertain why Stephanie took the fall for the murder. She tries to contact Stephanie’s parents, but they give her a cold shoulder. Stephanie’s aunt Francine is the only one who provides some clues, including the revelation that Stephanie was pregnant at one point and gave birth to a daughter. However, her investigation gets sidetracked when key witnesses in the case start showing up murdered.
Who Was Behind Linda Turpin’s Murder?
After learning that Stephanie was pregnant, Rylee confronts her mother about the case and asks her why he never fought to keep Stephanie out of prison. Her mother reveals that she always knew Stephanie was innocent but feared the repercussions of fighting on her behalf. She states that because Stephanie herself accepted a guilty plea, she feared that there was good reason behind why Stephanie had accepted her fate. As such, she urges Rylee to be careful with her investigation. Later, when Barbara and Francine’s remains are discovered, Rylee becomes mortified with her choice to pursue the case. She is eventually kidnapped by a mysterious assailant at her recently raided home and taken to an amusement park. There, she finally learns that the person responsible for Linda Turpin’s death is none other than the politician Lynn Wright.
As it turns out, years ago, Lynn and her husband had trouble conceiving a child. When Stephanie gave birth to her child, they decided to adopt her daughter, erasing any record of adoption in the process. Stephanie accepted the decision as she knew that her daughter would be well off growing up with Lynn as her mother. Her daughter eventually became the influential congressman Elizabeth Gallagher Wright. When Stephanie returned to her Ohio hometown after a long time, Lynn was worried that she might spill the beans about Elizabeth’s parentage. Therefore, Lynn preemptively organized an assassination of her by using Barbara and Peter Bryson as her killers. However, they mistakenly killed Linda, who was working Stephanie’s shift that night.
How Does Scott Rescue Rylee? Is Lynn Wright Arrested?
After learning the truth from Lynn, Rylee calls her a “monster.” However, Lynn is only interested in ensuring that Elizabeth’s pristine image as a congressman is preserved at any cost. She orders the kidnapper to kill Rylee, which he rejects until she pays him double the agreed fee. Lynn leaves, and the kidnapper proceeds to kill Rylee. Fortunately, Scott manages to track down Rylee’s exact whereabouts using his computer expertise, arriving at the park at the right time to stop the kidnapper/killer from harming Rylee. A brief scuffle ensues before the police take in the assailant, and Scott rescues Rylee. They later reconvene at a small get-together with Tucker and Rylee’s mom, Patti, to discuss the outcome of the whole Stephanie Jeffries case.
It is revealed that Lynn Wright is arrested, and her adoptive daughter, Elizabeth Gallagher, is helping Rylee at every step of the way with the legal procedure. Although it is not shown, the woman is likely hurt by the secrets Lynn kept from her about her parentage and the horrible ways in which she tried to keep it under wraps. Rylee and Scott have a sweet moment, informing Patti that they have been dating each other for a short while now. They head off down to the pier to share some more intimate moments together while Patti and Tucker talk about banal things in the open area above. Thus, after a number of challenging trials, Rylee managed to solve Stephanie’s case, giving her the freedom she deserved while also bringing her closer to her biological daughter.
Read More: The Lies We Bury: Filming Locations and Cast Details
