Reiner first came up with the concept for Lake George during the COVID-19 pandemic and has stated that he took inspiration from noir films such as Point Blank, Midnight Run, and The Asphalt Jungle.

[3] Lake George premiered in New York City at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 9, 2024,[4] followed by a streaming and limited theatrical release on December 6 of the same year.

[1] Critical reception for Lake George has been positive and as of January 2025 the film holds a rating of 96% "fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 25 reviews.

[6][7][8] Dennis Harvey of Variety noted that the film "comes off less as a thriller than a rueful black comedy of errors, with even the most violent characters carrying a certain pathos.

"[9] The film also received praise from Dread Central for a scene where the two leads must stage a photo providing proof of Phyllis's death, stating that it was "a humorous sequence where the grandiose nature of one’s schemes clashes with the messy logistics of implementation".