Don't Say a Word
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Movie Reviews of Don't Say a Word
Movie Review: Splendid movie, killed by critisizm...
Summary: 5 Stars
"Don't Say a Word" is a sleek, engrossing suspense thriller starring Michael Douglas as a top Manhattan psychiatrist who has everything: a beautiful wife (Famke Janssen), an adorable daughter (Skye McCole Bartusiak) and a spacious apartment in the fabulous Ansonia, a Beaux Arts landmark on the Upper West Side. On the day before Thanksgiving, Douglas' Dr. Nathan Conrad is in an accommodating mood when pressed by a former colleague (Oliver Platt) at a psychiatric hospital (modeled on New York's famed Bellevue) to try to break through to a bedraggled, self-destructive 18-year-old (Brittany Murphy).
Without help, Platt's Dr. Jerald Sachs argues, in a couple of days, the girl could end up chained to a bed at a mental institution for the rest of her life.
Conrad doesn't know that soon he'll have to persuade Murphy's mute Elisabeth to reveal a six-digit number if he's to rescue his daughter, Jessie, kidnapped by thieves led by the brutal Patrick Coster (Sean Bean), a safecracker fresh out of prison. In the meantime, Jennifer Esposito's tenacious NYPD detective is investigating two ostensibly unrelated murders.
Director Gary Fleder and writers Anthony Peckham and Patrick Smith Kelly, in adapting Andrew Klavan's novel, tell the story with dispatch and conviction. At the heart of the matter are Conrad's grueling sessions with Elisabeth, during which Douglas draws on his star authority while Murphy reveals Elisabeth as a young woman in the grip of paralyzing fear.
The film stretches credibility in demanding Douglas to come across as a potential miracle-worker and two-fisted hero--a man of brilliance, strength and daring. With a terrific assist from Murphy's equally commanding portrayal, Douglas pulls it off.
The great-looking "Don't Say a Word," wide-ranging in locations, moves between past and present, presses forward toward the kidnappers' deadline and is heightened by Mark Isham's score. The film's intricate, ingenious structure reveals twists and turns of the human psyche. It demands as much of editors William Steinkamp, Armen Minasian and cinematographer Amir Mokri as it does of the actors.
Visual and kinetic, "Don't Say a Word" moves like a bullet train through settings actual and constructed, blended seamlessly by production designer Nelson Coates and his staff. "Don't Say a Word" is smart, stylish and, most important, satisfying.
Basic fact, Douglas doesn't accept any role unless it holds a LOT of meaning...
Movie Review: Sleek, suspenseful entertainment....
Summary: 5 Stars
I read a couple of negative reviews of DON'T SAY A WORD when it first came out. I have to wonder if we saw the same movie. I think too many people over-analyze thrillers, instead of allowing themselves to be entertained. More than any other genre, thrillers rely on your visceral reaction to what's going on, not the logical. Don't get me wrong, logic is important to thrillers, otherwise they're not believable. But after a certain point, you should just let the film entertain you. DON'T SAY A WORD does just that.Michael Douglas plays a celebrated child psychiatrist married to a gorgeous amazon (the talented and underrated Famke Janssen, easily the most beautiful woman in the world), with a six-year old daughter (Sky Cole Bartusiak) who, unlike most child characters in thrillers, is not irritating and cloying. Anyhow, the family's thanksgiving plan are disrupted when the munchkin is abducted in the middle of the night by a gang of jewel thieves (led by the equally talented and underrated Sean Bean). Turns out they need the good doctor to coax out some information from a "schizophrenic" patient (the terrific Brittany Murphy) by the end of the day, or daughter goes bye-bye.
The rest of the flick moves at lightning speed as Dr. Conrad races against time to get the information from the girl. Parallel storylines involving a tough cop (Jennifer Esposito, easily the second most beautiful woman in the world after Famke)who inadverdently finds herself on the trail of the thieves, and Famke Janssen trapped in her apartment because of ber broken leg lend fuel to this already brightly-burning fire of a movie. Best sequence involves intercutting of Jennifer chasing Michael and Brittany, and Famke fighting off a murderous assassin despite her cast. Speaking of Famke's sequence, never before have I cheered when a bad guy got what was coming to him. Moral of the story? A desperate mother will still kick your [butt], leg cast or not. All in all, there never is any doubt about how this movie will all end, but getting there is a thrill ride from hell. Which is what a thriller should aspire to be. This is not rocket science, just rock-solid entertainment.
Movie Review: Michael & Sean, fantastic acting, brilliant movie magic!
Summary: 5 Stars
Michael Douglas is tailor made as the psychiatrist in the movie, Dr. Nathan Conrad. Its a part that is tailor made and makes Michael Douglas show the audience what a brilliant and versatile actor he can really be. The part is one of those that Michael can do very very well. Its a man who is haunted by his past, its a man who will do anything to get back his kidnapped child Jessica, which includes kill the character played by Sean Bean, or Patrick. Patrick has waited ten years in prison to retrieve a ruby that was hidden inside the doll of a disturbed young woman, named Eilzabeth. Sean takes the role of "Terrorist" to another level, he is brilliant, he moves fluidly thru the entire film with the grace and beauty of a martial artist, and the grace and beauty of a model or a man who is more at home with a gun than he is with the telephone that he used to get the answers from Michael's character to obtain the ruby. Its a scarey film, its brilliantly done, and its important film work by both Michael Douglas and by Sean Bean. Sean is at home with his role, its his "day job" its a role that he can do very well, its a combination of 006, Spence, and Sean Miller, which is why he makes the role so terrifying. Go and see it, and you will see to talented and well cast leads, Michael and Sean, I found a copy of the book at a town tag sale, and I do have a Yahoo Club for Sean Bean, and its one of the best movies that Sean has ever done, Go and see it today, and "Don't Say a Word!"Movie Review: An entertaining and well-crafted thriller
Summary: 5 Stars
This movie turned out to be much better than I was expecting. 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.I like how the story of this film was brought to the screen. Again it was another movie that was taken from a novel. These days we are getting many movies that are like this, but when they work, I can not see any problem with that. The novel this film was based on was "Don't Say A Word" by Andrew Klavan.
This film has an interesting side to it, by fact that it has many different stories rolled into one. Firstly you have the bad guys, who are in a spot of bother after years of trying to change the past. You have the family of the Conrad's, which is important for viewers to try and be close too. Then the relationship between Nathan Conrad (Douglas) and Elisabeth (Murphy), which is of most importance to the whole story. I like films that use this style of story because it keeps people interested in a movie and makes you watch even closer.
A well-written script and the ability to keep everyone in suspense are reasons everyone must see "Don't Say A Word." Two thumbs up.
Movie Review: I'll say a word if i want ; >
Summary: 5 Stars
I glanced at a few reviews and noticed a lot of people were talking about plot and everything like that. I thought about it for a second and came to this conclusion. Isn't almost any movie out the same as another movie? Different titles, different actors, different motives, but plot is always the same. I'm not sure why I actually like movies, might just be because i think it looks good and figure i'll see it. Anyways enough about ranting about the plots of movies and how they are predictable most of the time, lets talk about this one. The movie starts with the father (a psychologist) on his way home with the family turkey for thanksgiving. all is well until later on, the daughter is kidnapped by a few thieves that want a code in exchange for her life. The thieves have everything recorded from the psychiatrics workplace to his home with his bedridden wife that has a broken leg. The complicated part is the code is only held by a patient in the psych ward that is so tramatized that the thieves killed her father when she was younger that she doesn't even remember the code. With less than 24 hours to get the code, and a detective in pursuit, this movie is a must see.