Genre Grandeur – Don’t Say a Word (2001) – Ten Stars or Less

For this month’s next review for Genre Grandeur – New York Films That Take Place Prior to 9/11, here’s a review of Don’t Say a Word (2001) by Ryan of Ten Stars or Less

Thanks again to Darren Lucas of Movie Reviews 101 for choosing this month’s genre.

Next month’s genre has been chosen by Ryan of Ten Stars or Less and we will be reviewing our favorite Movies Directed by the Main Actor/Actress.

Please get me your submissions by the 25th of Oct by sending them to actor-director@movierob.net

Try to think out of the box!

Let’s see what Ryan thought of this movie:

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The general consensus is that the more money you have, the better off life will be. For those rich people in New York City, trouble lurks around every corner, and even with the best safeguards, bad things can still happen to good people. Don’t Say a Word has been in my personal collection since the year of its release in 2001. I’ve always been a Michael Douglas fan, and he’s one of the reasons this is a good film. The spotlight in this story is Brittany Murphy, who is brilliant as Elisabeth Burrows. She’s led a very traumatic life yet holds some vital information in her mind, which the bad guys- led by Sean Bean, want because her dad double-crossed them when she was a kid. Nathan Conrad (Douglas) is recruited to pry that knowledge from her, with his family held hostage as collateral damage. One aspect that makes Don’t Say a Word so engaging is the story’s many moving parts. The bad guys have set up camp in Conrad’s building while holding his family at gunpoint. Of course, his wife (Famke Janssen) has a broken leg, so despite her best intentions, she cannot be as active in the situation. Patrick Koster (Bean) is a cunning bad guy and has waited a long time for his moment to strike. He has no plans to stop to get what he wants, and his determination to see it through makes him a good villain. Meanwhile, Oliver Platt and Jennifer Espositio have their own subplot, investigating a dead girl and how the dots are connected to the main story. You may remember the trailer if you’ve never heard of Don’t Say a Word. Murphy’s “I’ll never tell” is a phrase she repeats over and over despite everyone’s efforts to get her to recall the day her dad died. The phrase is the one aspect you’d remember from the trailer, and you won’t be so caught off guard when she says it in the movie over and over. By this time, you’ll come to understand her character’s behaviors. Looking back at this film and its place in the genre, it just fits and doesn’t have anything appealing to stand out. Murphy’s performance is the only memorable aspect and why you should watch Don’t Say a Word. 6/10