Tell No One

The critically acclaimed Tell No One is a 2008 French thriller about a widower whose wife was murdered. Originally implemented as a prime suspect, the case resurfaces when two bodies are found at the site of the original murder, and he finds himself a suspect once again. His world is further turned upside down when he receives an e-mail that leads him to believe his wife may still be alive.

It would be hard to describe the plot anymore than that without revealing anything; Tell No One is one of the twistiest films in recent memory. It’s an unpredictable mind game, intricate with each move, yet thrilling every step of the way.

French star Francois Cluzet turns in a taut performance as Alexander Beck, the man out to find his wife’s real killer, all the while evading the police. Cluzet’s performance is natural and heartfelt, and his character a believable hero; kind-hearted and gentle, yet tough and unrelenting when he needs to be. He’s surrounded by a myriad of strong characters, some on his side and some not, but all of who have more information to offer him than it would seem.
With so many characters and such a tangled web of a plot, the film often comes off as convoluted, so much so that it often draws the viewer out of the overall experience the film offers. It’s certainly a film that gets better with repeated viewings, if not just to get every last detail. The final reveal, although gripping, is done a bit lazily with a character literally explaining to

Alexander what happened to his wife.
Still, Tell No One is smart and stylish in ways most thrillers aren’t, and that’s saying something.
Tell No One is now available on DVD.

TELL NO ONE : C+