Don't Say A Word Movie
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Storyline
TAGLINES
...I'll never tell.
A group of thieves steal a rare gem, but in the process, two of the men double cross the leader of the thieving group, Patrick (Sean Bean), and take off with the precious stone. Ten years later, prominent psychiatrist Nathan Conrad (Michael Douglas) is invited to examine a disturbed young woman named Elisabeth (Brittany Murphy). Patrick immediately kidnaps Nathan's daughter, forcing Nathan to attempt to get Elisabeth to reveal a secret number which will ultimately lead Patrick to the whereabouts of the precious gem that has eluded him.
| Michael Douglas | Dr. Nathan R. Conrad |
| Sean Bean | Patrick Koster |
| Brittany Murphy | Elisabeth Burrows |
| Skye McCole Bartusiak | Jessie Conrad |
| Guy Torry | Dolen |
| Jennifer Esposito | Detective Sandra Cassidy |
| Shawn Doyle | Russel Maddox |
| Victor Argo | Sydney Simon |
| Conrad Goode | Max Dunlevy |
| Paul Schulze | Jake |
| Lance Reddick | Arnie |
| Famke Janssen | Aggie Conrad |
| Oliver Platt | Dr. Louis Sachs |
| Aidan Devine | Leon Edward Croft |
| Alex Campbell | Jonathan |
| Gary Fleder |
6.10 out of 10 (14383 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Suspense so typical - it's lame
posted on 18 Aug 2009This is a poorly written and utterly predictable "suspense." Though Brittany Murphy is a standout, the story is over-the-top - and when you can see everything coming, it's as suspenseful as watching paint dry.Spoiler: Michael Douglas has to save his kidnapped daughter. Oh no, will he do it?! Of course - when was the last time a commercial, bloated and sterile Hollywood film killed off a kidnapped child?It's a remarkably pathetic story on every level: Famke Jannsen has a badly broken leg, yet she ends up killing the hardened criminal out to get her, the kidnappers have been jailed for ten years and within a couple weeks have the skills to operate sophisticated audio and video surveillance material and even hide these items in secure places, and the detective who uncovers the plot has no partner and literally works alone. Outrageous and unrealistic.
Don't Waste Your Time
posted on 12 Aug 2009This movie, starring Michael Douglas as Nathan Conrad, a prominent psychiatrist as a man who must retrieve a number from a patient in order to save his adorable kidnapped daughter, probably should win some sort of award for Dumbest Movie Title. It ranks up there with Don't Look in the Basement, Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead, and Don't Tell Her It's Me (all real titles). The title's not terribly descriptive, but it fits in with the plotline itself, which is pretty faceless.Douglas must be used to these roles by now, the domineering, I'm-in-charge, alpha male. He's played a powerful lawyer (Disclosure), a powerful financial genius (The Game), a powerful drug czar (Traffic), and the powerful leader of the free world (The American President). He basically sleepwalks through this movie, phoning in a pretty lethargic performance that adds no nuance to the character.In fact, the movie's a lot like Mercury Rising, which starred Bruce Willis as a renegade FBI agent protecting an autistic boy who had broken a supersecret government code. Will Nathan get the code from his traumatized patient in time to save his girl's life? With this type of movie, that question's no more than pure rhetoric. If you're at Point A and can see where the end of the movie (Point B) is, then the only way the movie can distinguish itself is to provide a gimmick. That gimmick is that the code that these evil bad guys (led by a superficially menacing Sean Bean) need is locked in the screwed-up mind of Elisabeth Burrows (newcomer Brittney Murphy), who isn't autistic but is so traumatized by the murder of her father years ago that she hardly speaks to anyone and reacts violently when approached. On top of all of this, Nathan's stock pretty wife Jessie (Skye McCole Bartusiak, looking like Sela Ward) is stuck in their apartment with a broken leg. (And you know, when a character has something slightly off-kilter about them, that quirkiness will play a role in the movie, somehow. It's like when a guy has a lisp - and then it turns out that the bad guy has a lisp, too. These things are hardly ever put in for no reason, you see.)Once we've established that the Bad Guys have the daughter and that the wife is stuck in bed with a cast, then we know Nathan must solve it on his own. To make sure, the Bad Guys tell him not to go to the cops. They don't need to say this, though; the Hero never goes to the cops. Too dangerous. Who'd believe him? And so on. So our stalwart, prominent psychiatrist goes it alone, for only he may save the day. Snore.Maybe it's Douglas, and maybe it's the shallowness of the supporting cast, but in so many of his movies the other actors seem to melt away. Sometimes it's because he's off the wall, a ham who doesn't chew the scenary so much as swallow it hole and regurgitate it onto your TV. (It's the Michael Douglas show! No wait; that was a different Mike Douglas.)The wonderful thing about characters with mental issues is that you can make those problems do whatever the script requires, with no real nod to logic or cohesion. These characters can be manipulated to fit any plot stupidities, including the dopey actions of the main characters. Don't Say a Word falls easily into this mold. And any movie that leans heavily on one gimmick isn't much of a movie, unless the characterizations and performances are well above par for the genre. They're not.This is drivel best relegated to the bargain bins at Blockbuster. From start to finish, there's not one true note to be found. Suspend your disbelief? You need to suspend it and then kick the chair out from underneath it. This movie doesn't approach credibility; it's a mere tourist in the land of reality.
Glossy but conspicuously production line thriller
posted on 29 Jun 2009A pretty standard thriller all round. Sean Bean gradually disappoints as the movie goes on in exactly the same way that I'm expecting Michael Douglas to, only he cumulatively impresses. Throw in Brittany Murphy's committed performance as a nutter - I think she gets the gradual, underplayed emergence from her state about right - and Famke Janssen doing a thoroughly professional job...... well it still doesn't quite work. The tension is in the story, rather than the execution, and even then some parts of the narrative just don't make sense. I don't mind style trampling over substance on such occasions but it just didn't seem worth it in the end. Oh, and the camera spends too long on Ms Esposito, rather than on the cop she plays. If you see what I mean. 4/10
an A+ thriller
posted on 28 May 2009DON'T SAY A WORD turned out to be much better than I was expecting. Michael Douglas was great as a man racing against time to unlock the mystery surrounding a young patient in order to get his kidnapped daughter back. Director Gary Fleder creates a suitably rainy, dreary atmosphere for the film and gives the big city of New York a strange sense of claustrophobia. Sean Bean heads the bad guys in his usual villainous manner, Famke Janssen is good but rather wasted as Douglas' bed-ridden wife, and Britany Murphy is a standout as the girl who isn't as troubled as she leads people to believe. Murphy is definitely one of the few teen actors in Hollywood with any talent, and her performance here is excellent. Jennifer Esposito is good as a cop involved with a double murder that ultimately develops a connection to the main story, though we never learn much about her character other than the fact she wants to get things solved. Perhaps there were already enough characters to work with. Oliver Platt rounds out the cast as a colleague of Douglas' who always seems to be hiding more than he's telling.For a film that runs nearly two hours, it flies by rather quickly, with a lot of suspense and good performances from everyone involved, all leading up to a tense climax on an East River island that looks like it came from an old Hammer horror film. My only complaint is that, after this big build up for almost two hours that we know Douglas and Bean are ultimately going to go at it, the demise (and I think it's giving nothing away to say the villain gets his at the end) of Bean's character was rather lackluster.But otherwise, it's a solid thriller that delivers a good deal of suspense, excellent performances, and an intriguing story.
Don't Say A Word
posted on 14 May 2009An incredible performance by Brittany Murphy will make this movie stick with you long after you've watched it. Her portrayal of Elizabeth Burrows, a disturbed teenager, isutterly brilliant. Michael Douglas, of course, is splendid. He makes you feel what his character is feeling... puts you right into the movie, in Nathan Conrad's shoes. This thriller will keep your atention for the full 113 min. and much longer.ENJOY!!
I have one word....
posted on 08 May 2009Don't say a word, but I feel I must "crass". This big budget American thriller is an absolute joke. I am just glad most of the other people who have added comments about this film I totally agree with. I thought I had seen it all before but this director takes bad film making to the max. There are so many plot holes in this film that it actually becomes funny. I can't believe Douglas (psychiatrist turned action hero in the space of a few minutes) agreed to star in this and Sean Bean must be one of the luckiest actors around for the number of parts he receives. This film was that predictable that my friends and I kept pausing the film and we guessed what would happen in the next scene and low and behold a 100% strike rate to the end of the film. What really annoys me about this type of film is that it will always make a fortune at the U.S box office when films like Memento struggle to make a profit. What is up (except from a few intelligent ones) with the American/World audiences, how come this type of movie always does well. If you have an IQ above 50 please avoid this film at all costs because it is an insult to your intelligence.
Hmmm... Some plot holes, but a still good thriller.
posted on 04 May 2009******SPOILERS******Nathan Conrad is a well-known psychiatrist, who has to deal with Elisabeth Burrows, a disturbing and strange 18 year old girl, who won't say much. When Nathan's daughter, Jessie then gets kidnapped, the main bad guy, Patrick (With the help of some creepy men.) put a surveillance around Nathan's home to keep watch on his wife and tells Nathan that he won't give his daughter back, until he can get him a six digit number out of his patient Elisabeth, which is "locked in her troubled little mind."Don't Say A Word is a different, yet good psychological thriller. Now, the main plot to the movie is obviously about the six digit number that is wanted by Patrick and he's going to do anything to get it, so he can get his jewel. Now, of course we're going to think of things like 'what is the number' or 'why does he want this jewel so badly, even after 10 years,' etc. so when we find out, as the movie goes on, (Even though they basically tell us at the beginning.) we're still left thinking 'is that it.' Okay, fine he wanted the money that the jewel is worth, but poor Elisabeth, especially is she's apparently pretending to be 'mad,' just so she can escape the bad guys and stay in the institution. Don't Say A Word is a suspenseful and good movie and I wasn't expecting the biggest and best twist or anything, but when you get things like that coming up, it's not good. Good performances from most of the cast in the movie, including the great Michael Douglas and Brittany Murphy. I love thrillers and if you enjoy thrillers too, then go see Don't Say A Word.
great movie
posted on 16 Apr 2009In my opinion Brittany Murphy is of the best young actresses around and this film shows it. Her performance as the troubled teenageer haunted by her father's death is tense and highly enjoyable. This is without a doubt her best performance since girl inrerrupted and she is more at home in this film than in Just married! The "baddies" were believable and Michael Douglas and Famke Janssen delivered solid performances. Extremely unpredictable Don't say a word is a fast paced atmospheric thiriller which I highly recommend! 4/5 DEFINETELY ONE TO WATCH!
Strictly a time-passer
posted on 12 Apr 2009STAR RATING:*****Unmissable****Very Good***Okay**You Could Go Out For A Meal Instead*Avoid At All CostsDon't Say a Word is a kidnap thriller.It doesn't market itself as anything to the contrary.This film has been done many times before,a prime example being Mel Gibson's 1996 film Ransom (which was much better by the way).But then look how many times the film Die Hard has been re-done (Sudden Death,Under Siege,Passenger 57 et al) .Nevertheless,each new cover version looks slightly more thrilling.DSAW is what's known as a time filler.There's some slant originality in the kidnappers not wanting money,but a secret,but otherwise the best place to catch this is probably on TV.**
One of Douglas's mistakes
posted on 08 Apr 2009SPOILERS AHEAD - But who cares? We all know the endingHow infuriatingly simplistic can a movie be? This one is far too predictable to be enjoyed. You know the ending way before the first half of the film ends. The story is impossible to believe, and there are loads of questions left unanswered in the film. The role of the female police officer is more like a caricature of other similar characters in more successful films - and was this role necessary? And what about the cliches? Was this movie made for first-time goers to a theatre? Ok, there is a scene or two that are worthwhile (the climaxing scene of the deranged -?- girl's return to the place where she witnessed her father being murdered and the final one) but are they enough? This movie desparately tries to be both Ransom and Silence of the lambs but in the end it's nothing. Don't say a word about this one - it will probably go wasted.4
Utter Hokum But Good Fun!
posted on 11 Mar 2009Don't Say A Word" qualifies as utter hokum but good fun. This stylishly-lensed, white-knuckled suspense thriller asks us to put up with a plot so contrived that it literally defies credibility. Basically, a gang of relentless jewel thieves abduct Jessie (Skye McCole Bartusiask) the 8-year old daughter of an affluent Manhattan psychiatrist, Dr. Nathan Conrad (Michael Douglas of "Traffic"), and holds her for ransom. The gang doesn't demand money. Instead, these calculating, cold-blooded, ex-convicts want our resourceful hero to ferret out a secret mired in the mind of an apparently catatonic, 18-year old damsel-in-distress, Elisabeth Burrows (Brittany Murphy of "Summer Catch"), prone to bouts of extreme violence. Our antagonists need a six-digit number, so they can locate a ruby worth $10-million. Elisabeth's felonious father abetted bad guy Patrick Koster (Sean Bean of "GoldenEye") and his crew when they stole the gemstone ten years ago. During the getaway, Elisabeth's dad double-crossed them, stashed the ruby, and fled. When they caught up with him, he refused to divulge where he had the ruby, so they killed him, but were caught and imprisoned. Now, they are back on the streets again and after Elisabeth.Were this chain of events not improbable enough, remember these villains have just finished a ten-year stretch in New York's notorious Attica Prison, and they still want that damned stone! The premise of "Don't Say A Word" partially mimics the recent Martin Lawrence comedy "Blue Streak," except Lawrence emerged as the hero, whereas Sean Bean and his ruffians are indisputably the bad guys. Originally, N.Y. Transit authorities arrested Koster and company for knocking off Elisabeth's dad in a crowded subway station while she witnessed his murder. Vividly ingrained in her mind is the memory that nobody tried to help her dad. Now, the only remaining lead these desperate hoodlums have to the whereabouts of the ruby is Elisabeth herself. Cleverly, she has managed to hole up in a variety of mental facilities over the intervening decade and eluded them. How can somebody with no medical expertise whatsoever dupe experts and stay in at least 20 institutions? "Don't Say A Word" never satisfactorily resolves this question. Nevertheless, Dr. Conrad catches her faking right off the bat. Deciding to come clean, Elisabeth warbles a tune like a mythical Greek siren trying to lure a sailor to his death on a rocky seashore: "I'll never tell." She knows more is at stake than her implied mental instability and suspects Dr. Conrad knows about her secret, too.Incredibly, our heroic psychologist finds himself up against a wall with a nerve-racking, eight-hour deadline to pry the valuable secret out of a reluctant Elisabeth before the villains kill his daughter. The outlandish but adrenalin-laced Anthony Peckham & Patrick Smith Kelly screenplay borrows elements from the Bogart classic "The Maltese Falcon," the Martin Lawrence comedy "Blue Streak," and the graveyard scene in Sergio Leone's "The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly." Sadly, the writers don't do a seamless job of integrating different story lines, so a police investigation subplot appears added as an afterthought. Finally, our villains behave like larcenous Boy Scouts. They come up with every available audio and video surveillance device to make Big Brother salivate, and they install them wherever our heroes might conduct business. Like all encompassing evil, these fiends strive to be as omniscient as possible. They wire Dr. Conrad's luxurious apartment house and the grim mental institution where Elisabeth is held. The writers neglect to tell how these guys obtained their sophisticated equipment. Did they steal it? Or how they could gain access to an apartment complex with security guards? "Don't Say A Word" unfolds with a flashback set in 1991. Koster and his team of high-tech thieves break into a safe-deposit box at a posh New York bank and pocket a priceless ruby. At least, Patrick thought he had it, only to discover moments afterward that his slippery-fingered accomplice has pulled the old switcheroo on him. Eventually, they catch him in the subway, and Elisabeth's dad dies when they force him in front of an on-coming subway train. Later, after they get out of Attica, Koster and his cohorts track Elisabeth down in a mental asylum run by Dr. Louis Sachs (Oliver Platt of "Bicentennial Man"), one of Nathan's oldest and closest friends. Sachs accuses Nathan of selling out and moving up-town to earn the big bucks. Our wily villains strong-arm Sachs, and he browbeats the unsuspecting Nathan into accepting the poor girl's case pro bono on Thanksgiving Eve. Nathan's last minute favor for Louis ticks off his wife Aggie (Famke Janssen of "X-Men"); she is confined to a bed with her broken leg in a plaster cast. We learn Aggie broke her leg during an off-screen skiing accident. However, Aggie's infirmity doesn't prevent the agile Janssen from getting into trouble later on in the action. Aggie's no-holds-barred battle with one of Patrick's nastier henchmen is simply terrific! I'm not overly fond of kidnap capers involving small children. My chief complaint about "Don't Say A Word" is the little girl. First, we know nothing deadly can occur to her, because she looks far too cute and adorable. Second, you know her brave dad will save her, because "Don't Say A Word" is strictly a popcorn movie. Third, Hollywood doesn't make movies that show adults torturing children. As a result, this inherent lack of drama undercuts the suspense. Now, teenagers are an entirely different story. The villains can rough them up, but they aren't about to muss a little girl's hair. Only when the kidnap caper is a comedy along the lines of O'Henry's "The Ransom of Red Chief," where the child creates more chaos than the adults can endure, do I like them.Ultimately, "Don't Say A Word" doesn't surpass director Gary Fleder's audaciously subversive debut thriller "Things To Do In Denver When You're Dead" (1995). Altogether, what "Don't Say A Word" lacks in authenticity, Fleder more than makes up for with gripping, edge-of-the-seat anxiety.
Is it just me or Brittany Murphy is the best young actress alive?
posted on 09 Mar 2009Well, I must admit that I was kind of reticent about seeing this movie. I heard it was great, and I'm so glad I went over to see it. This one was one of this year's greatest surprises, along side the guilty pleasure, but God damn good, Swordfish. You already know the story, and it would be worthless to tell it again, but it is one of the things that made this movie all that great. It was really heart pumping. The cast was all great, Michael Douglas did alright as the psychiatrist, and Famke Jansen was great for a change. (She's now one of those actresses that I'll keep following around!). Playing the role of the villains' boss is Sean Bean, the Eternal villain from Goldeneye. Just a bit of trivia, isn't it interesting that Famke Janssen and Sean Bean were both villains in Goldeneye, and now they are on opposite sides? One is the hunter, the other is the prey. Coming all this way, it's pretty clear that Brittany Murphy drove the movie. God, I don't know how she wasn't nominated for the Oscar. She's one of the upcoming actresses. She is the next Judy Dench! It's usual from me to cry on movies, but her powerful performance called my tears, especially when she is recreating her father's death episode. Go on, you won't be regretted. Just as I didn't! It is worths the 5 €! 9 out of 10!
Oh PUHLEEEZE
posted on 03 Mar 2009I have rarely seen a more contrived movie. Aside from the entirely unnecessary butchy female cop character, and the abruptly terminated storyline about the psychiatrist's dead girlfriend, and the oddly well-informed ex-cons with their beyond-the-state-of-the-art surveillance equipment, I hardly know what to say.But I will begin with the 6 digit code fiasco. Did I miss something? Or how in the heck would ANYONE know that there was a code in the first place? And supposing the code element was believable, how would the bad guys have gotten word about it?Amazing hearing that woman cop had, to pick out gunshots from how-far-away as she boated in. And who was she talking to on the phone at the morgue? That was bizarre and sort of out in the middle of nowhere. And what was her purpose in the movie, anyway?And who called the cops when the wife killed the guy with her knitting needle?And why was that poor young woman being kept in a filthy hospital room?And where did Oliver Platt's storyline disappear to?This was mindless entertainment for those nights when there is absolutely nothing else to do. It gets a "4" from me, but only because of Brittany Murphy. All 4 points are hers.
Slick thriller with an absurd story
posted on 01 Feb 2009An implausible plot turns absurd by the end in this psychological thriller.
Strong performances and good production values can't redeem a storyline that asks us not only to suspend disbelief, but to relinquish our notions of reality. That is all well and good for fantasy or sci-fi offerings, but this film purports to be a serious psychological drama in the Hitchcock tradition, and in that regard it is sorely lacking.Plot holes abound and the psychological aspect is glossed over. Other than Dr. Conrad (Michael Douglas) and Elizabeth (Brittany Murphy) there isn't much character development. I have to give director Gary Fleder credit for a fine job with the look and feel of the film. With this film, Fleder has broken out of his predominantly TV resume to show that he has the ability to play in this league. Fleder has a good sense for what makes a scene suspenseful. His use of the camera is excellent, giving us some interesting first person perspectives in addition to scenes that were generally well prepared. The sets are realistic (especially the Montreal subway station that was turned into the Canal Street station in New York) and well constructed for suspense with lots of places for tight, cramped shots that turn up the psychological pressure. However, Fleder seems so intent on bringing us a technically well crafted film, that he misses the fact that his story is leaving the galaxy.Michael Douglas gives his typical fine performance; smart, tough and stubborn with a soft side. However, the real story in this film is Brittany Murphy. Murphy delivered an excellent performance in `Girl Interrupted' and then bounced around in a number of minor roles in minor films until landing this part. Here Murphy cranks it up about tenfold as the disturbed, but brilliant young woman who has a secret locked in her head. She walks a fine line between sanity and derangement and slips in and out so easily that it is frighteningly convincing. She completely immerses herself in the role and gives what is, for my money, one of the best supporting roles of the year.Overall, this is a slick thriller that derails when a contrived story goes off credibility's deep end. I rated it a 6/10 on the strength of the acting and some nice technical elements. But, Hitchcock it ain't.
Too many non-sensical plot lines
posted on 24 Jan 2009SPOILERS Here are my problems with Don't Say a Word:1) Why do the bad guys give Michael Douglas an artificial 5pm deadline to get the code from the girl? It seems to go against what they are trying to achieve.2) How were the bad guys able to install all that elaborate surveillance equipment in Michael Douglas's apartment without being seen? Also, since they just got out of prison (all at exactly the same time, mind you) how were they able to afford it?3) How were they able to bug the room at the nuthouse where Brittany Murphy was being kept?4) Why did they kill Oliver Platt's girlfriend? That makes no sense.5) Why did Oliver Platt disappear from the movie after being questioned by the female detective?6) How does a psychiatrist like Michael Douglas suddenly turn into a Rambo-like he-man when confronting the bad guys in the cemetary?I could go on and on, but you get the point.
The Trailer got me
posted on 14 Jan 2009I was sitting home reading a new Maxim Magazine one day when all of a sudden the music and images of this movies trailer popped up on my TV. After seeing that, I had to see the movie. And I did. I went into the movie with some mixed thoughts because I found the trailer to be great, but a lot of people were saying that the movie wasn't. Of course, I never listen to another persons reviews. Everyone has an opinion and rarely is it like mine.So, what's my opinion you ask? The movie was good. I found it to have a great story line and most of the acting was top notch. The only acting that I didn't enjoy actually was Michael Douglas and his little girl early on. I found that to be too cheezy. On the other hand, I do understand why it was necessary for the story though. Dont' get me wrong though. It was only in that little section that Douglas' acting wasn't top notch... as usual... and that's only in my opinion.The movie itself was a terrific Psychological Thriller at it's best. I'm sure if your here on IMDB, you know what it's all about, so I won't waste time talking of the storyline. I will say however, that the story line was very good. The character development was great too. I loved all the characters and how they mixed in with each other. I have a soft spot for these types of movies because I love it when you don't have a clue what's going on... until the end. Movies like that are great and I will forever love them. This one did a great job of making a type of movie I love. I suggest going to see it if you haven't already.
Don't Pay a Dime
posted on 13 Dec 2008DON'T SAY A WORD is a steaming pile of smegmatized poop. I would use stronger words, but would probably be deleted...My God, how many times can people watch the same movie over and over?????? There are holes in the plot of this film that Oprah could waddle through without any problem...I was dumbfounded by this film...until I read, right here on IMDB, that the film was directed by the man who made the "classic" KISS THE GIRLS...had I known that, I would have just given my 9 dollars to the homeless guy in front of the theatre and considered myself lucky...My God, how bad is DON'T SAY A WORD? So very, very, very bad...I am so sick of these HOLLYWOOD films that recycle the same crap over and over...anyone who claims to have liked this film should be ashamed of themselves...or else they are just sheep (probably the latter). The mystery of the "mysterious number" that is pushed in the TV ads turns out to be as anti-climactic as the Chicago Cubs not making the playoffs...if you can survive the final half hour of this endless catastrophe, my hand to you...you are a stronger human being than I...Check out Zoolander for at least an original concept (which I also saw the same night, and wasn't completely thrilled with, but after watching DON'T SAY A WORD, decided it was quite wonderful
Misses the mark
posted on 09 Dec 2008Don't Say A Word is a thriller. Well, it looks like one, anyway. It has grit, rain, creepy phone calls, paranoia, all the things that should be in a thriller. But, it's lacking two key elements: thrills and tension.Here's the synopsis (yeah, my style is coming back to me now...): Dr. Nathan Conrad (Douglas) is happily married to his wife Aggie (Janssen) and is madly in love with his daughter, Jessie (Bartusiak). Conrad is a psychologist who is known for his ability to work with teenagers. He's in his own practice now, but he used to work for the State of New York. On Thanksgiving Eve, he gets an emergency call from one of his former colleagues, Dr. Sachs (Platt). Sachs needs Conrad's help in reaching a girl named Elizabeth. Elizabeth has been in institutions for the past 10 years, beginning shortly after her father died. Her records show mental illness after mental illness – post-traumatic stress disorder, paranoid schizophrenia, catatonia. Not a healthy girl, but non-violent, until just the other day, when she nearly killed a man with a razor blade. Without Conrad's help, she'll be drugged up and locked away for the rest of her life. But, as Conrad soon discovers, she might be faking most of her illnesses. He has little time to worry about that, however, as the next morning, he discovers that his daughter has been kidnapped! He gets a phone call from Patrick Koster (Bean), and receives instructions. Get a number out of Elizabeth's head, and you get your daughter back. Don't say a word to the police. None of this is a surprise, as we've seen the trailer for this movie.As I said before, this movie looks like a thriller. But, it doesn't feel like a thriller. Conrad is working under a strict timeline. He gets Koster's phone call at 10 am, and he has until 5 PM to get the number. But, the pacing is all wrong. I never got the sense that time was running out. Yes, a thriller should build slowly, but it shouldn't keep the same pace the whole way through. It spent the right amount of time on the build-up, and then kept on truckin' at the same pace the whole way. Which meant that you were able to spot the ‘thrills' coming a mile away.The last half of the movie just felt contrived. Yes, it's a movie, suspension of disbelief, etc., etc. But, the unexpected should fit within the framework of the universe that the film creates. Se7en worked because we believed in John Doe. We didn't know how he was able to do what he did, but we believed he could do it. Psycho worked because we believed that Norman Bates was just that insane. We're given little bits of information about the antagonist's past (Doe's diaries, Bates' mother). We don't get the same thing with Koster. While Sean Bean is a good character actor, what his character is doing doesn't make sense with what we know about the ‘world'. Oliver Platt is a fantastic character actor, but he's mostly wasted in this movie. And I didn't buy Murphy's portrayal of Elizabeth.Don't Say A Word isn't without its good points, however. Skye McCole Bartusiak could go far, provided she doesn't take ‘kiddie' roles. There's something in her eyes that hints at big things to come. Haley Joel Osment things. Kirsten Dunst things.For the most part, however, Don't Say A Word makes a good effort, but falls short of the mark
okay
posted on 07 Dec 2008I don't have much to say about this one. I love movies with Michael Douglas and i have really taken to Brittany Murphy, but this one failed to capture any real interest from me. The cover of the DVD said a thriller to end all thrillers. In what way is that, i mean i wasn't thrilled at all and i consider this movie to be more of a drama than a thriller. I do like Brittany's character here and Michael was good as always but the movie itself is quite slow and uninteresting so my personal rating is 4/10. This type of movie has been done before, but better. If you have nothing better to do then you might want to give it a go, just don't expect too much from it.
Excellent acting carries you through
posted on 22 Aug 2009The story is somewhat against all logic, but the acting here is that excellent that it doesn't mattered at all to me. It was a thriller with much thrill and very good characterization of the people.Brittany Murphy ("Clueless", "Girl, Interrupted", "Drop Dead Gorgeous") as a mad girl is extremely gorgeous in both acting and beauty. She never looked better. If you're not already a fan of her, its a good time for starting. Sean Bean plays an ice cold gangster, he's absolutely brilliant, far better than as Boromir in "Lord of the Rings". Watching him one can't help wondering if he actually is someone with that low Empathy. Jennifer Esposito ("Dracula 2000") plays a wonderful tough police officer. Is that her real job ? Oliver Platt ("Bicentennial Man") was a wonderful incompetent doctor. He isn't actually an idiot, isn't he ? Skye McCole Bartusiak was a very cool child. And who was this stupid gangster with long hair and beard that had to watch over the child ? He was very good, too. Michael Douglas was also impressing.Good movie. I felt indeed very well entertained. In my humble opinion, it is absolutely worth your time and money. Only don't expect something calm.