This powerful and emotional film appears to be inspired by the terrible true story of what happened to Ernest Hemingway in 1922, and which contributed to the breakup of his first marriage and, some might say, the wreckage of his later life and his eventual suicide. I feel the tragedy of Hemingway's suicide particularly acutely because I received one of the last letters he ever sent. I wrote to him as a teenager when he was in the Mayo Clinic (because I was able to find its address and this had been announced in the newspapers), and he wrote back to me. The letter was dictated to a nurse, who wrote the text by hand, but Hemingway added his unmistakable, bold and florid signature at the bottom. His letter was extremely courteous and generous, but it contained the haunting phrase: 'When I leave here tomorrow ' His treatment for depression had been unsuccessful, and it was not long before he ended his personal torment with his hunting rifle. What can have caused this? His father had killed himself, and at least one other family member had done so also. But the roots of everything seem to me to go back to 1922. He and his first wife Hadley were living happily, if in extreme poverty (eating pigeons which he caught in the park), in Paris, and 'Hem' had published very little. He had finished his first novel and several stories. They had a chance to have a break at Lausanne in Switzerland, and Hadley was to join Hem there. Without telling him, she gathered up all of his unpublished material including his novel and put it in a small suitcase to take with her, thinking he might want to work on it in Switzerland. She cannot have been very bright, because she took (1) the original handwritten manuscripts, (2) the typed copies, and (3) the carbon copies of everything, leaving nothing behind. She then lost the suitcase on the train. This story is recounted in Hemingway's posthumous memoir A MOVEABLE FEAST, which he did not dare to publish in his lifetime, presumably because he did not wish to upset his son by Hadley. Hem thus lost his first novel and all his unpublished stories. The destruction of all of his work, and the shattering realization of how stupid his wife really was, sowed the seeds of the dissolution of all he held dear. Of course there were other factors, the strange sexual dynamics described in the posthumous novel THE GARDEN OF EDEN, and the man-eater Pauline Pfeiffer who made sure she became the second Mrs. Hemingway after being Hadley's 'best friend'. I often walk past the house where Hem and Pauline had their flat in the Rue Ferou in Paris (long before Man Ray lived in the same small street). But it was leaving the novel on the train that ruined everything, in my opinion, and it was not until 1926 that Hem managed to publish his ostensibly 'first' novel, THE SUN ALSO RISES, which caused such a sensation and made him famous. There is little doubt in my mind that this is what the producers and authors of THE WORDS have used as the inspiration of their own tale, which concerns the loss of the manuscript of a novel by a wife on a train from Paris, with all the terrible consequences which result, including the destruction of the marriage. Just in case we all need reminding, the film has several scenes where the first edition of THE SUN ALSO RISES (in impeccably accurate dust jacket) is reverently handled by the young American author of the lost novel, and he and his young wife also live in Paris in great poverty. The other married couple central to the story, living in the present, also visit one of Hemingway's Paris residences to pay tribute to him. (In fact it is not one of the real ones, as I am familiar with all those. The plaque to Hemingway in the film may also be made specially for the film. But the idea is sound.) For the first portion of this film, the theme appears to be literary plagiarism. It is only later that the true theme becomes dominant and apparent, namely the lost manuscript left by the wife on the train. This is because the action takes place in 'the past' (the author of the novel and his wife in Paris) and in 'the present', where another aspiring author finds the lost novel in a briefcase which his wife has bought for him in a brocante shop on a visit to Paris, and publishes it as his own work. Alas, the subject of 'alleged plagiarism' (I have to be careful of my words) is all too painful to me as well, since one of my closest friends is Michael Baigent, who unsuccessfully sued Dan Brown concerning THE DA VINCI CODE, though I tried to persuade him not to, and seeing the financial ruin this brought upon him has been intensely distressing. This film mingles both themes in an extremely dramatic and upsetting double-tale where tragedy lurks around every corner, and all suffer. All the performances, the direction and script by the pair Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal, the cinematography and the mood are all exquisitely sensitive and thoughtful. Jeremy Irons is marvellously convincing as an old man, Dennis Quaid is gut-wrenching as a man haunted by his regrets, Brad Coooper, Olivia Wilde, Zoe Saldana, and the beautiful Nora Arnezeder are all superb as the main players in this film, which will be difficult for anyone who sees it ever to forget. The film is a modern classic, with a lingering aftertaste of melancholy, and important messages for all who value words. Ultimately, the tragedy expressed by the old man is that he cared more about the words than about the wife who lost them, and by doing so, he lost both.
184 Reviews
Intelligently Filmed Story within a Story within a Story
doug_park200118 April 2013
While subdued and a little slow-moving, THE WORDS is a good--and not too heavy-handed--modern morality tale of how one serious act of dishonesty irreversibly affects a writer's entire life and career. The fact that his act would be difficult to ever prove or prosecute only makes things worse in many ways for Rory Jansen. The various additional elements of suspense and romance help to create a unique combination.
Interesting plot-structure: No huge twists or surprises, but everything fits together with slow, subtle tension. The acting ranges from tepid to quite good. Various details are also important; it might be a good idea, for example, to freeze-frame and read the rejection letters that Rory Jansen receives toward the beginning. A lot of people apparently don't like the way THE WORDS ends, but I sure do. Along with "the old man"'s embedded tale, the conversations between best-selling author Clay Hammond and fan/aspiring author Daniella are easily the most engaging aspects of this film.
Anyone with interests in fiction writing, the publishing industry, and/or related subjects will probably find THE WORDS a compelling enough film; those without such interests, however, may find it pretty dull. Even for the latter folks, I would also recommend SHATTERED GLASS (2004), starring Hayden Christensen, which has a similar conflict, a faster pace, and generally better acting.
Interesting plot-structure: No huge twists or surprises, but everything fits together with slow, subtle tension. The acting ranges from tepid to quite good. Various details are also important; it might be a good idea, for example, to freeze-frame and read the rejection letters that Rory Jansen receives toward the beginning. A lot of people apparently don't like the way THE WORDS ends, but I sure do. Along with "the old man"'s embedded tale, the conversations between best-selling author Clay Hammond and fan/aspiring author Daniella are easily the most engaging aspects of this film.
Anyone with interests in fiction writing, the publishing industry, and/or related subjects will probably find THE WORDS a compelling enough film; those without such interests, however, may find it pretty dull. Even for the latter folks, I would also recommend SHATTERED GLASS (2004), starring Hayden Christensen, which has a similar conflict, a faster pace, and generally better acting.
Contains many fine performances
Gordon-1125 December 2012
This film is about a young struggling writer who makes it big with a manuscript that he did not write.
"The Words" tells the tale of a struggling writer who has to face moral choices after stealing a manuscript. Bradley Cooper carries the role well, and he portrays the internal struggle very well. It is a welcomed change that Bradley Cooper portrays a serious and emotionally tormented role. The scene of his attempt to rectify things in the greenhouse is haunting. Zoe Saldana shines as well as the supportive wife, her plethora of emotions is so natural and convincing. They make a good on screen couple. The Bradley Cooper subplot is quite predictable, but the connection between Bradley Cooper and Dennis Quaid is not immediately apparent. This extra layer gives "The Words" more depth. I think "The Words" has many fine performances, and deserves to be seen.
"The Words" tells the tale of a struggling writer who has to face moral choices after stealing a manuscript. Bradley Cooper carries the role well, and he portrays the internal struggle very well. It is a welcomed change that Bradley Cooper portrays a serious and emotionally tormented role. The scene of his attempt to rectify things in the greenhouse is haunting. Zoe Saldana shines as well as the supportive wife, her plethora of emotions is so natural and convincing. They make a good on screen couple. The Bradley Cooper subplot is quite predictable, but the connection between Bradley Cooper and Dennis Quaid is not immediately apparent. This extra layer gives "The Words" more depth. I think "The Words" has many fine performances, and deserves to be seen.
Too much telling, too little showing
i-Shuvo14 December 2012
Warning: Spoilers
"The Words" is a movie about a writer writing about a writer who has stolen another writer's work about his life as a writer. It sounds cerebral on paper, but it's not, in practice. It's easy enough to follow, but the narratives are nesting dolls of decreasing value.
The Irons-narrated Paris scenes are by far the most engrossing; the story is about as deep as a supermarket page-turner, but it's easy to believe such a sepia-toned romance would make for a best-seller.
When The Princess Bride, for instance, used the device of the storyteller as narrator, it managed to interrupt and return to its stories playfully and charmingly. This film's layered storytelling lacks the fluidity, grace, or good humour, to pull off its conceit.
It's always dangerous ground to create a fictional work that centers on fictional artists who are revered geniuses of their craft. If you're going to make up a musician, a painter, a writer, then you have to be prepared to show their music, their paintings, their words. When it comes to Jansen's stolen best-seller, the film wisely only shows us obscure flashes of ink-stained manuscript, relying instead on Jeremy Irons' velvet-voiced narration to sell the image in a way that Hammond's stilted prose utterly fails to do.
Though flawed, the film is a promising debut from first-time directors Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal. Love went into the production -- there's care in the framing and cinematography, the scoring, the recurring visual motifs. A little romance takes the movie a long way.
But its romance can also rankle. Take, for instance, its representation of the struggling writer. There are no sleepless nights in drafty garrets, no dinners of ramen noodles, no piles of unpaid bills. Instead, there are handsomely outfitted New York lofts, tailored blazers and Paris honeymoons, all funded on an office mail clerk's salary, apparently.
In the end, the film's Achilles' heel is an unfortunate one for a serious-minded literary drama about writers - its screenplay.
The Irons-narrated Paris scenes are by far the most engrossing; the story is about as deep as a supermarket page-turner, but it's easy to believe such a sepia-toned romance would make for a best-seller.
When The Princess Bride, for instance, used the device of the storyteller as narrator, it managed to interrupt and return to its stories playfully and charmingly. This film's layered storytelling lacks the fluidity, grace, or good humour, to pull off its conceit.
It's always dangerous ground to create a fictional work that centers on fictional artists who are revered geniuses of their craft. If you're going to make up a musician, a painter, a writer, then you have to be prepared to show their music, their paintings, their words. When it comes to Jansen's stolen best-seller, the film wisely only shows us obscure flashes of ink-stained manuscript, relying instead on Jeremy Irons' velvet-voiced narration to sell the image in a way that Hammond's stilted prose utterly fails to do.
Though flawed, the film is a promising debut from first-time directors Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal. Love went into the production -- there's care in the framing and cinematography, the scoring, the recurring visual motifs. A little romance takes the movie a long way.
But its romance can also rankle. Take, for instance, its representation of the struggling writer. There are no sleepless nights in drafty garrets, no dinners of ramen noodles, no piles of unpaid bills. Instead, there are handsomely outfitted New York lofts, tailored blazers and Paris honeymoons, all funded on an office mail clerk's salary, apparently.
In the end, the film's Achilles' heel is an unfortunate one for a serious-minded literary drama about writers - its screenplay.
The True Words...
kerron_maitland11 December 2012
It's difficult to really determine what this films true intention was at first, but then you realize that this movie is more honest and open then you hope for. It's deep to say the least, it really pulls you in and makes you feel for the characters involved, especially Jeremy Irons Character (past and present). The true price of falsely claiming a work of art is yours isn't the guilt that you didn't write it, its the realization that you could never create it on your own. This movie is inspiring as it is overwhelming, not to be taken into high regard but it was very much worth paying attention to. If you write, if you draw, if you create anything that makes you proud that you did it, share it, if not you will regret it for the rest of your life, that was the true message of this film.
Could Have Been Better
imdb-1828210 January 2013
The Words is a story within a story within a story. I absolutely loved the story within the story. A masterful telling of an intriguing situation with wonderful acting and believable emotions that, at both levels, tugged at my heart strings. However, the third level added very little, or should I say distracted from the rest. It was meant to put a twist on the story within the story, to make the viewer think and wonder, but it was mostly a distraction, and the acting was far inferior to the other two levels. The producers should have seen this but instead, they took something great and made it good. Another reviewer said somewhere that negative reviews were from people who "didn't get it". That's pretty conceited by them to think that they were the only ones who got it. Trust me, I got it, I just didn't like it. All that being said, it was still worth watching, if only for the two inner layers.
Surprisingly Amazing Emotional Story
mjblack1310 September 2012
The Words draws you in with its beautiful cinematography and engaged dialog. I was especially impressed with the layers of the presentation. Most films these days will spoon feed you a flat story and leave no room for personal interpretation. The Words layers a complex open-ended plot that demands viewer involvement. I was surprised with the simple surface story presented as each deeper layer was uncovered. Sometimes it came as a subtle hint when other times it hits you straight in the face. The film has the flavor of Memento or Inception; which is refreshing these days. Bradley Cooper surpassed my expectations. I never once saw his type-cast Hangover/Limitless ticks or mannerisms. He was completely in touch with the character and never fell back on default techniques.
The Words...3 out of 4 Skittles
FilmStallion8 September 2012
The Words is an engaging film, and almost feels more like a book on screen. And like a good book, it quickly reins you in and keeps entertaining until the end. The writer/director team of Brian Klugman & Lee Sternthal is miles away from their script for the forgettable Tron: Legacy. With The Words they take their time by using their catchy story within a story technique to develop their intriguing characters. The Words may not have the heft compared to other favorites for Best Original Screenplay come this Oscar season, but it is respectable feat for the writer/director duo. Bradley Cooper (The Hangover, Limitless) delivers a nice subtle performance as a struggling writer drowning in a sea of desperation. Cooper continues to hack out diverse performances that continue to show his range and win over more fans. He's proving that he is not just Hollywood's latest flavor of the week. The rest of the cast is strong, and headlined by Jeremy Irons (The Man in the Iron Mask, Being Julia) as a broken down old man surprised to see his long lost book on the best-seller list with some young punk's name attached. The Words was dumped into theaters on what is historically known as the worst weekend for movie attendance, and most likely won't garner much of an audience. The film will also have trouble living up to the competition come Oscar season, but it delivers an entertaining and appealing film on the first weekend of fall award season releases.
Highly Underrated
chandlerneal8 September 2014
The Words opens with author Clay Hammond (Denis Quaid) giving a reading for his recent best-selling book, The Words. Hammond's reading takes us into the life of his character, Rory Jansen (Bradley Cooper), a young author struggling to publish his books make ends meet.
One night, Jansen discovers an old manuscript hidden in an antique briefcase that his wife Dora (Zoe Saldana) purchased for him on their honeymoon in Paris. He reads the yellowed first-draft of the novel, marveling at the unknown author's talent.
Jansen struggles with what he should do with the masterpiece he's found. Eventually, he decides to type the entire novel on his laptop so he can "feel the words flow" through his own fingers.
When his wife sees the novel on his computer, she—in typical Hollywood fashion—assumes he wrote it and praises him for his depth and creativity before he has a chance to tell her the truth.
From here, the film skips back and forth between the fictional Rory and Dora Jansen, and the story of their creator, Clay Hammond.
Rory publishes the manuscript under his own name and struggles with the repercussions, while in "real life," Hammond flirts with a young college student named Daniella (Olivia Wilde) at his sophisticated book reading. Despite the film's fluctuating story lines, The Words' plot is addictively intriguing and surprisingly easy to follow. My family doesn't often sit down to watch a movie without a magazine or iPad in hand, but this movie kept us all riveted.
It's also worth noting that we had our eyes glued to the screen in the absence of explosions, sex scenes, or significant amounts of humor. The film's mysterious and captivating plot line—along with simple but genuine characters—were enough to hold our attention.
The story expands when the true author of Jansen's novel (Jeremy Irons, the "Old Man") approaches Jansen and reveals his heart-wrenching account of the loss of his manuscript and family. His tale transports us to Paris during World War II, adding another captivating plot line to the already multi-layered story.
In addition to an elevated storyline, the Old Man's account in the movie adds a deeper visual element to the film. A relatively low-budget, low-key film, The Words clearly made the most of its production site in Montreal, Canada. Shots of present-day New York and 1940s Paris are both believable and idealistic, effortlessly transporting viewers from modern day to war time.
As Bradley Cooper's character becomes a liar of extraordinary proportions, I still found myself rooting for him throughout the film. Jansen's shortcomings raise many stimulating questions about truth and integrity, while his struggle for achievement and creativity makes him highly relatable (especially as a writer).
While the movie held my interest the majority of the time, I felt much less invested in the real-life storyline of author Clay Hammond's and student Daniella. The only thing that kept me interested in the seedy, wealthy author and his adoring fan was the question of how they tied in to Rory Jansen's story.
And that is, perhaps, the great mystery of the film—why does Rory Jansen matter to Clay Hammond, and vice versa?
The pursuit of an answer to this question, along with stimulating questions of integrity and consequence are what make The Words a must-see movie for anyone who desires meaningful conversation at the end of a film. It makes us question our motives and beliefs, and it gives a sympathetic face to the "struggling artist" stigma. Considering I'd never heard of the movie until I rented it, I'd say it's highly underrated.
One night, Jansen discovers an old manuscript hidden in an antique briefcase that his wife Dora (Zoe Saldana) purchased for him on their honeymoon in Paris. He reads the yellowed first-draft of the novel, marveling at the unknown author's talent.
Jansen struggles with what he should do with the masterpiece he's found. Eventually, he decides to type the entire novel on his laptop so he can "feel the words flow" through his own fingers.
When his wife sees the novel on his computer, she—in typical Hollywood fashion—assumes he wrote it and praises him for his depth and creativity before he has a chance to tell her the truth.
From here, the film skips back and forth between the fictional Rory and Dora Jansen, and the story of their creator, Clay Hammond.
Rory publishes the manuscript under his own name and struggles with the repercussions, while in "real life," Hammond flirts with a young college student named Daniella (Olivia Wilde) at his sophisticated book reading. Despite the film's fluctuating story lines, The Words' plot is addictively intriguing and surprisingly easy to follow. My family doesn't often sit down to watch a movie without a magazine or iPad in hand, but this movie kept us all riveted.
It's also worth noting that we had our eyes glued to the screen in the absence of explosions, sex scenes, or significant amounts of humor. The film's mysterious and captivating plot line—along with simple but genuine characters—were enough to hold our attention.
The story expands when the true author of Jansen's novel (Jeremy Irons, the "Old Man") approaches Jansen and reveals his heart-wrenching account of the loss of his manuscript and family. His tale transports us to Paris during World War II, adding another captivating plot line to the already multi-layered story.
In addition to an elevated storyline, the Old Man's account in the movie adds a deeper visual element to the film. A relatively low-budget, low-key film, The Words clearly made the most of its production site in Montreal, Canada. Shots of present-day New York and 1940s Paris are both believable and idealistic, effortlessly transporting viewers from modern day to war time.
As Bradley Cooper's character becomes a liar of extraordinary proportions, I still found myself rooting for him throughout the film. Jansen's shortcomings raise many stimulating questions about truth and integrity, while his struggle for achievement and creativity makes him highly relatable (especially as a writer).
While the movie held my interest the majority of the time, I felt much less invested in the real-life storyline of author Clay Hammond's and student Daniella. The only thing that kept me interested in the seedy, wealthy author and his adoring fan was the question of how they tied in to Rory Jansen's story.
And that is, perhaps, the great mystery of the film—why does Rory Jansen matter to Clay Hammond, and vice versa?
The pursuit of an answer to this question, along with stimulating questions of integrity and consequence are what make The Words a must-see movie for anyone who desires meaningful conversation at the end of a film. It makes us question our motives and beliefs, and it gives a sympathetic face to the "struggling artist" stigma. Considering I'd never heard of the movie until I rented it, I'd say it's highly underrated.
Thank God Summer is Over
Stewball7 September 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Spring and Fall are becoming my favorite movie seasons of the year. And the rating should be a 9.5 The box office may be small but the quality is up.
OK, I want all y'all that are allatime complaining that they don't make good movies in Hollywood anymore, to go see this. Disregard the press and even the other audience reviews. Why? Because this is a straight drama with no violence, action, gratuitous sex or even much romance even though it's being promoted as romantic. What is has is some magnificent dialogue, acting and a compelling, fascinating story that's as worn yet mysterious as the old satchel he finds the manuscript in. Unfortunately, those aren't things that sell movies by themselves, because so many people feel cheated if there isn't violence, action or gratuitous sex--even occasionally.
Anyway, the actors are all on time of their game IMNTBHO, especially Dennis Quaid who the directors must have worked real hard on to get him to stop using the 4 or 5 mannerisms he'd come to rely on for the last 10 or so years. Olivia Wilde has never been more attractive (offputtingly smiling at first but for a reason) and she delivers the best line in the movie perfectly. I don't think anyone would expect Jeremy Irons to turn in anything but perfection in that deep voice of his, which he does. And I'm moving Bradley Cooper a couple more notches up the respect ladder into pretty rarefied territory. The ending felt a little flat until I gave it some thought.
**SPOILER Cooper's/Quaid's character decides to write another novel which he presents as an extension of the first fiction (lie), which is actually the truth. He thinks, and it may well be, that it's his only out. What do you think? How many people would even give a second thought to the morality of the situation in his position. END SPOILER**
It isn't expected to do well at the box office, but that'll give you plenty of elbow room in the theater. And hey, The Expendables 2 is still playing.
Hmmmm, after all the disclaimers, probably the only people that see it are the ones who were going to go see it anyway. But hey, we know who we are, right. .............RIGHT.........Right........right.
OK, I want all y'all that are allatime complaining that they don't make good movies in Hollywood anymore, to go see this. Disregard the press and even the other audience reviews. Why? Because this is a straight drama with no violence, action, gratuitous sex or even much romance even though it's being promoted as romantic. What is has is some magnificent dialogue, acting and a compelling, fascinating story that's as worn yet mysterious as the old satchel he finds the manuscript in. Unfortunately, those aren't things that sell movies by themselves, because so many people feel cheated if there isn't violence, action or gratuitous sex--even occasionally.
Anyway, the actors are all on time of their game IMNTBHO, especially Dennis Quaid who the directors must have worked real hard on to get him to stop using the 4 or 5 mannerisms he'd come to rely on for the last 10 or so years. Olivia Wilde has never been more attractive (offputtingly smiling at first but for a reason) and she delivers the best line in the movie perfectly. I don't think anyone would expect Jeremy Irons to turn in anything but perfection in that deep voice of his, which he does. And I'm moving Bradley Cooper a couple more notches up the respect ladder into pretty rarefied territory. The ending felt a little flat until I gave it some thought.
**SPOILER Cooper's/Quaid's character decides to write another novel which he presents as an extension of the first fiction (lie), which is actually the truth. He thinks, and it may well be, that it's his only out. What do you think? How many people would even give a second thought to the morality of the situation in his position. END SPOILER**
It isn't expected to do well at the box office, but that'll give you plenty of elbow room in the theater. And hey, The Expendables 2 is still playing.
Hmmmm, after all the disclaimers, probably the only people that see it are the ones who were going to go see it anyway. But hey, we know who we are, right. .............RIGHT.........Right........right.
Emotions speaking louder than words
TheLittleSongbird19 August 2019
Two of the biggest main selling points in seeing any film are a great concept and a great cast. 'The Words' has both, have not come across a concept this ambitious and intriguing for any film in a long time and when you have a cast that includes Bradley Cooper, Dennis Quaid and Jeremy Irons one cannot help expect great things. It sounds like a treat if you are somebody who loves literature, am very much one of those people.
Watching 'The Words', it was an interesting film, well made and mostly well acted with intriguing and heartfelt moments. Part of me felt though that it could and should have been much more, worth watching definitely but very uneven. It is not a waste of potential, as there are things that are done very well and a lot of effort went into it. It is sadly unfortunate that the full potential is nowhere near close to being full lived up to, which is so frustrating and a real shame.
Beginning with the strengths, 'The Words' is a very good-looking film, the photography making for some truly beautiful images and Paris especially of the locations is strikingly captured. The music matches the film's understated tone with a subtle, melancholic edge without tugging at the heart strings too much. Some of the dialogue is truly thought-provoking, with some inspired references, especially that of the Old Man's.
Although the story-within-a-story-within-a-story structure doesn't completely come together, a lot of the inner story elements intrigue and move. The Old Man's, one of the more interesting characters of the film too, past scenes make for the most engrossing story and the one that had my attention the whole time. The acting mostly very good, the acting honours going to Jeremy Irons in a very touching and suitably enigmatic performance as The Old Man. Ben Barnes touches the heart too, while Bradley Cooper tones down the intensity that can be seen in other performances of his and the subtlety is effective. Zoe Saldana is much more than just decoration, there is not a lot to her role but she makes the most of it and does it with charm.
Sadly, 'The Words' is dragged down badly by the "real life" story, to the extent that it nearly but not completely ruins the film. It was very tedious, with more questions than answers, nothing investable and an aimless pace. The romance is full of cheesy dialogue and doesn't really go anywhere, the chemistry more unintentionally creepy than charming. Found Dennis Quaid's performance too underplayed to the point of phoning in and Olivia Wilde's performance and character were just bizarre.
Letting 'The Words' down significantly too was the ending, which was little more than an incomplete damp-squib. Ambiguity can work, but this attempt at it felt less like ambiguity, this actually felt like an ending started being written, then the writer got distracted and completely forgot about concluding it. Despite the whole literary concept, the film tends to over-explain or things are spoken when they could easily have been shown. A lot of effort went into 'The Words', but it did feel like it tried too hard.
In conclusion, interesting and has a fair share of good things, such as the production values, most of the acting and one particular story strand, but very frustrating with one story and the ending spoiling things badly. 6/10
Watching 'The Words', it was an interesting film, well made and mostly well acted with intriguing and heartfelt moments. Part of me felt though that it could and should have been much more, worth watching definitely but very uneven. It is not a waste of potential, as there are things that are done very well and a lot of effort went into it. It is sadly unfortunate that the full potential is nowhere near close to being full lived up to, which is so frustrating and a real shame.
Beginning with the strengths, 'The Words' is a very good-looking film, the photography making for some truly beautiful images and Paris especially of the locations is strikingly captured. The music matches the film's understated tone with a subtle, melancholic edge without tugging at the heart strings too much. Some of the dialogue is truly thought-provoking, with some inspired references, especially that of the Old Man's.
Although the story-within-a-story-within-a-story structure doesn't completely come together, a lot of the inner story elements intrigue and move. The Old Man's, one of the more interesting characters of the film too, past scenes make for the most engrossing story and the one that had my attention the whole time. The acting mostly very good, the acting honours going to Jeremy Irons in a very touching and suitably enigmatic performance as The Old Man. Ben Barnes touches the heart too, while Bradley Cooper tones down the intensity that can be seen in other performances of his and the subtlety is effective. Zoe Saldana is much more than just decoration, there is not a lot to her role but she makes the most of it and does it with charm.
Sadly, 'The Words' is dragged down badly by the "real life" story, to the extent that it nearly but not completely ruins the film. It was very tedious, with more questions than answers, nothing investable and an aimless pace. The romance is full of cheesy dialogue and doesn't really go anywhere, the chemistry more unintentionally creepy than charming. Found Dennis Quaid's performance too underplayed to the point of phoning in and Olivia Wilde's performance and character were just bizarre.
Letting 'The Words' down significantly too was the ending, which was little more than an incomplete damp-squib. Ambiguity can work, but this attempt at it felt less like ambiguity, this actually felt like an ending started being written, then the writer got distracted and completely forgot about concluding it. Despite the whole literary concept, the film tends to over-explain or things are spoken when they could easily have been shown. A lot of effort went into 'The Words', but it did feel like it tried too hard.
In conclusion, interesting and has a fair share of good things, such as the production values, most of the acting and one particular story strand, but very frustrating with one story and the ending spoiling things badly. 6/10
Four generations of stellar actors!
rtaron20 December 2012
This is such an under-rated movie and it is so sad that it will not be seen by more people.
Bradley Cooper has a great career ahead as a producer, he was very smart to make this project. The four generations of great actors were so well- chosen, each one the sexiest man alive I'm sure at one time or another. For me it was Dennis Quaid, and I saw more of the old Dennis Quaid in this movie than in a very long time. Bradley Cooper is the third generation actor in this piece and he really shows his acting chops. He's not just a pretty face! The pretty face is now Ben Barnes and what a great face it is. He is perfect as the young 'old man' in Paris after the war.
I almost never like stories within a story, now do I like stories about authors or actors, they always seem so navel-gazing, but this movie trumps all of those problems in such an amazing excellent way.
Watch this movie, you won't be sorry.
Bradley Cooper has a great career ahead as a producer, he was very smart to make this project. The four generations of great actors were so well- chosen, each one the sexiest man alive I'm sure at one time or another. For me it was Dennis Quaid, and I saw more of the old Dennis Quaid in this movie than in a very long time. Bradley Cooper is the third generation actor in this piece and he really shows his acting chops. He's not just a pretty face! The pretty face is now Ben Barnes and what a great face it is. He is perfect as the young 'old man' in Paris after the war.
I almost never like stories within a story, now do I like stories about authors or actors, they always seem so navel-gazing, but this movie trumps all of those problems in such an amazing excellent way.
Watch this movie, you won't be sorry.
Story telling at its finest
jesse-goulding18 December 2012
Absent of cheesy one liners, cgi explosions and presumably never ending car chases it was not surprising to see the lack of respect this movie has received. It is telling of our culture to pass by a story, full of such raw, human, emotion, with dis-contempt and frailty.
'The Words' is a movie about life, mistakes and the pain we can all feel inside, and it is this ability to relate that makes it so powerful. It gives me hope, along with a select other few, that cinematic story telling has not simply been reduced to the next ex-cia to shoot up the town, or romantic comedy with the same stale happily ever after ending.
It is real, and comes with the all of the uncertainty and heartbreak of life.
'The Words' is a movie about life, mistakes and the pain we can all feel inside, and it is this ability to relate that makes it so powerful. It gives me hope, along with a select other few, that cinematic story telling has not simply been reduced to the next ex-cia to shoot up the town, or romantic comedy with the same stale happily ever after ending.
It is real, and comes with the all of the uncertainty and heartbreak of life.
Words and the Thin Line between Fiction and Reality
claudio_carvalho5 March 2013
In New York, the aspirant writer Rory Jansen (Bradley Cooper) has written a novel but the editors do not accept to publish it since the story is intimist and non-commercial. Rory lives with his girlfriend Dora (Zoe Saldana) in a loft and is financially supported by his father Mr. Jansen (J.K. Simmons).
When Mr. Jansen tells Rory that he will give no more money for him and that Rory should have a conventional job, he works as a clerk in a publishing house and soon he marries Dora. The travel in honeymoon to Paris and he buys an old briefcase in a jumble sale. When they return to New York, Rory finds the manuscript of a novel hidden in the briefcase and he becomes fascinated with the story and decides to send it to the editors. Soon the book becomes a best-seller and Rory becomes a successful and famous writer.
One day, an old man (Jeremy Irons) meets him in Central Park and asks for an autograph in his book. When Rory is leaving the place, the old man asks him if he wouldn't like to listen to a story of a man that was stolen by a young man. Rory seats on the bench again and the old man tells a dramatic story of pain and loss to him.
"The Words" is an excellent movie about words and the thin line between fiction and reality. The screenplay is excellent with an ambiguous story within another story, and is not conclusive about fiction and reality. For me it is clear that Rory Jansen is the alter ego of Clay Hammond, but the plot is open to interpretation.
The writers and directors Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal make an outstanding work supported by a fantastic cast with the names of Jeremy Irons, Bradley Cooper, Dennis Quaid, Zoe Saldana, Olivia Wilde and J.K. Simmons. I was really surprised with such good story. My vote is eight.
Title (Brazil): "As Palavras" ("The Words")
When Mr. Jansen tells Rory that he will give no more money for him and that Rory should have a conventional job, he works as a clerk in a publishing house and soon he marries Dora. The travel in honeymoon to Paris and he buys an old briefcase in a jumble sale. When they return to New York, Rory finds the manuscript of a novel hidden in the briefcase and he becomes fascinated with the story and decides to send it to the editors. Soon the book becomes a best-seller and Rory becomes a successful and famous writer.
One day, an old man (Jeremy Irons) meets him in Central Park and asks for an autograph in his book. When Rory is leaving the place, the old man asks him if he wouldn't like to listen to a story of a man that was stolen by a young man. Rory seats on the bench again and the old man tells a dramatic story of pain and loss to him.
"The Words" is an excellent movie about words and the thin line between fiction and reality. The screenplay is excellent with an ambiguous story within another story, and is not conclusive about fiction and reality. For me it is clear that Rory Jansen is the alter ego of Clay Hammond, but the plot is open to interpretation.
The writers and directors Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal make an outstanding work supported by a fantastic cast with the names of Jeremy Irons, Bradley Cooper, Dennis Quaid, Zoe Saldana, Olivia Wilde and J.K. Simmons. I was really surprised with such good story. My vote is eight.
Title (Brazil): "As Palavras" ("The Words")
Terrific movie... ignore the naysayers!
rv7820 September 2012
If you never see a movie unless EVERYONE else LOVES it... then skip "The Words". However, if you are able to enjoy a movie in spite of silly reviewers questioning the ending, the plot twists, or perhaps and don't require countless Dukes of Hazard-style car chase scenes and seeing the nude bodies of the leading ladies... then go see "The Words" and enjoy it! My wife a I went with another couple last night, and we all generally liked it or loved it! We planned on dinner afterward and this gave us time to discuss it... and that was helpful because we all had taken away different interesting bits. The actors are good to terrific. Jeremy Irons is exceptional! BUT...WHAT did it all mean? WHO CARES!!! It meant, quite simply, they made a great movie that requires one to have a mind to enjoy it. ;) Enjoy "The Words" for what it is... something different, finally!
"The Words" is amazing!
rdcarmichael-524-27871712 December 2012
I am not sure what Hollywood considers a good movie but I know this is an excellent film. The story is told with such elegance and fluidity that it is a joy to watch. I am buying this movie for my personal collection to make sure that I watch a film, from time to time, that reminds me of art in its highest form. The actors are brilliant, the direction is genius, photography is captivating and the scriptwriting is unparalleled. I completely loved this movie.
Though it was not a blockbuster hit bringing in hundreds of millions, it did earn back its original investment costs and nearly that figure again.
Just when you think you know how it's going to go - the movie bends then twists into another path. Just brilliant!!!
Though it was not a blockbuster hit bringing in hundreds of millions, it did earn back its original investment costs and nearly that figure again.
Just when you think you know how it's going to go - the movie bends then twists into another path. Just brilliant!!!
Jeremy Irons is superb
bbewnylorac16 February 2013
Warning: Spoilers
For me, Jeremy Irons is the star here in one of his best roles, as the old man who shines the moral light on the central character Rory Jensen. The camera loves Irons, and the director lets him take his sweet time to tell his amazing story. I think Bradley Cooper, while he is handsome, is wrong for the Jensen role. He was good in the early scenes but seemed too healthy and happy when he was supposed to be absolutely crushed later on. I liked that his character wasn't a total loser, i.e. he was a loving husband and he tried to make amends for his sins, albeit after he was caught out. The women actors in the film, except for the young French actress, were talented but largely wasted and seemed to be more there as eye candy. I liked that the film had a very ambitious, intelligent script. It didn't always hit the mark, but it did make you think, which these days is quite rare in Hollywood.
Beautiful film
vincentlynch-moonoi1 November 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Usually when over 100 people have already reviewed a film, I pass on also reviewing it. Occasionally I make an exception, and this is one.
It isn't often that Jeremy Irons disappoints, and he certainly doesn't here, but he is merely one of several characters that bring this story to life.
The story is simple -- an aspiring author with little to show for his work stumbles upon an old manuscript and submits it to a publishing house as his own. They publish it, it's a best seller...and then he meets the old man who actually wrote the story.
Bradley Cooper is the nominal lead character here, and he certainly does a nice job as the story thief. Zoe Saldana plays his wife in a forgettable performance that any actress could have turned in if she was in the right age range. Jeremy Irons is the old man who originally wrote the story, and he turns in his usual great performance. Then up and coming actor Ben Barnes plays the young Jeremy Irons. Barnes is one of the better young actors out there, and he demonstrates that here. Dennis Quaid plays an author who writes the overall story. Smaller parts are held by J. K. Simmons and John Hannah.
I don't give an "8" to even 1 out of 50 movies, but I'll do so here. Highly recommended if you like seriously dramatic movies.
It isn't often that Jeremy Irons disappoints, and he certainly doesn't here, but he is merely one of several characters that bring this story to life.
The story is simple -- an aspiring author with little to show for his work stumbles upon an old manuscript and submits it to a publishing house as his own. They publish it, it's a best seller...and then he meets the old man who actually wrote the story.
Bradley Cooper is the nominal lead character here, and he certainly does a nice job as the story thief. Zoe Saldana plays his wife in a forgettable performance that any actress could have turned in if she was in the right age range. Jeremy Irons is the old man who originally wrote the story, and he turns in his usual great performance. Then up and coming actor Ben Barnes plays the young Jeremy Irons. Barnes is one of the better young actors out there, and he demonstrates that here. Dennis Quaid plays an author who writes the overall story. Smaller parts are held by J. K. Simmons and John Hannah.
I don't give an "8" to even 1 out of 50 movies, but I'll do so here. Highly recommended if you like seriously dramatic movies.
Words Can Make You Act ***1/2
edwagreen9 January 2014
Warning: Spoilers
A very interesting 2012 story-line made even better by phenomenal acting, especially by Bradley Cooper and Jeremy Irons.
In this compelling film, Dennis Quaid gives a book review detailing a writer (Cooper) who at a young age makes it big in the literary world by writing a terrific book, only to have to come to grips with the elderly man who had written the book years before about his tragic life and had had the manuscript lost.
Irons in a tremendous performance is that man. He didn't ask for revenge or for monetary compensation. Dying, he wanted Cooper to come to grips what he had done.
You just sit there mesmerized waiting for more about the book to come out. A very good film expressing life's emotion, heartbreak and the coming to grips of circumstances which are sometimes beyond one's control.
In this compelling film, Dennis Quaid gives a book review detailing a writer (Cooper) who at a young age makes it big in the literary world by writing a terrific book, only to have to come to grips with the elderly man who had written the book years before about his tragic life and had had the manuscript lost.
Irons in a tremendous performance is that man. He didn't ask for revenge or for monetary compensation. Dying, he wanted Cooper to come to grips what he had done.
You just sit there mesmerized waiting for more about the book to come out. A very good film expressing life's emotion, heartbreak and the coming to grips of circumstances which are sometimes beyond one's control.
A story about morals
maaa_sara14 July 2013
Warning: Spoilers
I think this movie is a masterpiece and a breath of fresh air in film storytelling and personally I think this is the best movie of 2012.
Bradley Cooper has been applauded for his performance in Silver Linings Playbook witch was great, but his performance in this movie is equally good. Added with the performance of Dennis Quaid, Jeremy Irons, Olivia Wilde and Ben Barnes makes this a great cast.
Almost everyone that i have spoken to that have seen this movie have their own little twists on the story and how it comes together. The important part is not that all agrees on every little detail of the story. I think it's good that the movie let us fill the small gaps that we think are missing and personally I get more attached to the story this way.
The complex story within a story setup asks a lot from the actors, screenwriters and director to get it all together in 97 minutes. Even the last scenes are open to interpretations. So like many great books it leaves you wondering.
I don't think this is a film mainly about plagiarism. It is a moral story about having made choices that you are not proud of and living with them. It is about striving to be the best that you can be and accepting who you are even if you fall short. The plagiarism is just a tool for the story to unfold.
Spoilers coming up! I think an underlying point in the film is that its not enough to be a good writer, you also need to have a name or a brand that sells books. The book market is a tough market to break trough in and is dominated by big publishers and well known writers. By publishing Window Tears Clay made a name of himself and that name helped him to get his own books published. To the outside world he was a success, but to himself he was a failure because it was another mans words that made his name. Meaning his own books may have sold because of the name on the front page, and not because of the words written inside.
The old man said he was afraid of ever going as deep as when he wrote Window Tears and that his mistake was that he cared more for his words than anything else. By writing the book called The Words Clay proved to himself that he was a brilliant writer. But by doing so he let his wife know the truth about what he did a long time ago and in a way he suffered the same faith as the old man.
This I think explains the ending in the film when Clay clapped his hands and sighted with relief as if Daniella was exactly right when she said his marriage was finished if his wife ever found out the truth. This also explains why the timing of their separation coincided with the release of his latest book. One of the things that bothered me was the ending scenes. Why did Clay and his wife get separated at this time of his life? He still wears his wedding ring, he has a picture of here in his newest book, and couldn't go through with it with Daniella. All this tells me that Clay still very much loves his wife.
I don't think Clay ever revealed to his publisher or his wife that he didn't write his first success that was Window Tears. He probably thought long and hard on telling the truth and the outside pressure became to strong when presented with the opportunity to achieve his life dream. Clay never really wanted to reach success this way and when he understood the consequences of his actions it was already too late because some things you cannot change.
On the surface this seems like a simple plot about plagiarism but for the one that invests in the story and wants to go deeper into the material and engage, it really is a wonderful story and a well executed film about passion, morals and life. Thats why this film gets my highest recommendation.
Bradley Cooper has been applauded for his performance in Silver Linings Playbook witch was great, but his performance in this movie is equally good. Added with the performance of Dennis Quaid, Jeremy Irons, Olivia Wilde and Ben Barnes makes this a great cast.
Almost everyone that i have spoken to that have seen this movie have their own little twists on the story and how it comes together. The important part is not that all agrees on every little detail of the story. I think it's good that the movie let us fill the small gaps that we think are missing and personally I get more attached to the story this way.
The complex story within a story setup asks a lot from the actors, screenwriters and director to get it all together in 97 minutes. Even the last scenes are open to interpretations. So like many great books it leaves you wondering.
I don't think this is a film mainly about plagiarism. It is a moral story about having made choices that you are not proud of and living with them. It is about striving to be the best that you can be and accepting who you are even if you fall short. The plagiarism is just a tool for the story to unfold.
Spoilers coming up! I think an underlying point in the film is that its not enough to be a good writer, you also need to have a name or a brand that sells books. The book market is a tough market to break trough in and is dominated by big publishers and well known writers. By publishing Window Tears Clay made a name of himself and that name helped him to get his own books published. To the outside world he was a success, but to himself he was a failure because it was another mans words that made his name. Meaning his own books may have sold because of the name on the front page, and not because of the words written inside.
The old man said he was afraid of ever going as deep as when he wrote Window Tears and that his mistake was that he cared more for his words than anything else. By writing the book called The Words Clay proved to himself that he was a brilliant writer. But by doing so he let his wife know the truth about what he did a long time ago and in a way he suffered the same faith as the old man.
This I think explains the ending in the film when Clay clapped his hands and sighted with relief as if Daniella was exactly right when she said his marriage was finished if his wife ever found out the truth. This also explains why the timing of their separation coincided with the release of his latest book. One of the things that bothered me was the ending scenes. Why did Clay and his wife get separated at this time of his life? He still wears his wedding ring, he has a picture of here in his newest book, and couldn't go through with it with Daniella. All this tells me that Clay still very much loves his wife.
I don't think Clay ever revealed to his publisher or his wife that he didn't write his first success that was Window Tears. He probably thought long and hard on telling the truth and the outside pressure became to strong when presented with the opportunity to achieve his life dream. Clay never really wanted to reach success this way and when he understood the consequences of his actions it was already too late because some things you cannot change.
On the surface this seems like a simple plot about plagiarism but for the one that invests in the story and wants to go deeper into the material and engage, it really is a wonderful story and a well executed film about passion, morals and life. Thats why this film gets my highest recommendation.
Mincing Words
jadepietro8 September 2012
This film is not recommended.
Movies have always dealt authors suffering from writers' block and the desperate acts that lead them on the path of destruction. Billy Wilder's Sunset Boulevard and The Lost Weekend, the Coen Brothers' Barton Fink, Spike Jonze's Adaptation, and the granddaddy of all writers' block movies, The Shining, are prime examples of this theme. ( We can also add to that distinguished list: Deathtrap, Misery, Wonder Boys, and Woody Allen's Deconstructing Harry. ) That empty page can send anyone reeling! The heavy price of fame and blind ambition!
Now we have the drama, The Words, of which I am not at a loss at finding. Yes, I have plenty to say about this noble and unsatisfying effort that never really clicks. The film preaches that there is a fine line between life and fiction and the choices to be made, but the filmmakers never commit to make that clear choice and their final product blurs that fine line between concise storytelling and logical sense. Its story-within-a-story-within-a-story-within-a- story approach remains confusing and ambiguous at best.
Story One has successful novelist, Clay Hammond ( Dennis Quaid ), reading his best-seller to a devoted following. Aptly titled The Words, which may be autobiographical or a work of fiction, Hammond meets a mysterious fan, Daniella (Olivia Wilde ) there. This leads to...
Story Two, the main story, which shows an author's solitary life is not a romantic one, unless you're handsome Bradley Cooper who plays Rory, a writer who has difficulty with his next novel now. With the blank page staring back at him, he has not found any words, be they right or wrong, to create that next novel. The words somehow elude him. That is until one day when his loving wife ( Zoe Saldana ) buys him an antique briefcase which happens to contain a lost manuscript by another nameless writer, henceforth named the Old Man ( Jeremy Irons ). This, of course, leads our conflicted Rory to a moral and ethical crossroads and takes us to...
Story Three, in which a young WWII soldier falls for a French woman, played by Ben Barnes and Nora Arnezeder, who love and suffer as beautifully as they look. And suffer do we all in this predictable and conflicted romantic tale, as The Words tries to connect its various subplots about the past and present events with varying degrees of success.
Newcomers Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal solidly directed the film, but it is their work as the film's screenwriters where they lose their direction. The filmmakers essentially try to converge three separate tales into one multi-layered story, but the stories never become a cohesive whole. This writing team should have done some further editing and revisions, blocking their tendency to complicate their film with multiple narrative structuring. Perhaps if they would have focused and expanded on one central storyline, the film would have been more interesting and fulfilling. As it is, the multi-story arcs never bridge the gap and the moviegoer is left wondering about all the fuss.
Most of the actors deliver their lines with effective precision and add greater depth with their loosely written roles. Cooper, Saldana, and Barnes achieve credibility and have some strong moments, and Irons, with his acting formidable talents, brings a hint of tragedy and pathos that is missing from this sketchiest of character. His is a wonderful supporting performance in a film that needs all the support it can get.
Ironically, it's the written words from an ill-conceived script that cannot rectify and resolve the multiple story lines in The Words. Its cumbersome interweaving of its trio of stories just becomes a tangled melodramatic mess, ultimately leaving The Words rather tongue-tied. GRADE: C
Visit my blog at: www.dearmoviegoer.com
ANY COMMENTS: Please contact me at: jadepietro@rcn.com
Movies have always dealt authors suffering from writers' block and the desperate acts that lead them on the path of destruction. Billy Wilder's Sunset Boulevard and The Lost Weekend, the Coen Brothers' Barton Fink, Spike Jonze's Adaptation, and the granddaddy of all writers' block movies, The Shining, are prime examples of this theme. ( We can also add to that distinguished list: Deathtrap, Misery, Wonder Boys, and Woody Allen's Deconstructing Harry. ) That empty page can send anyone reeling! The heavy price of fame and blind ambition!
Now we have the drama, The Words, of which I am not at a loss at finding. Yes, I have plenty to say about this noble and unsatisfying effort that never really clicks. The film preaches that there is a fine line between life and fiction and the choices to be made, but the filmmakers never commit to make that clear choice and their final product blurs that fine line between concise storytelling and logical sense. Its story-within-a-story-within-a-story-within-a- story approach remains confusing and ambiguous at best.
Story One has successful novelist, Clay Hammond ( Dennis Quaid ), reading his best-seller to a devoted following. Aptly titled The Words, which may be autobiographical or a work of fiction, Hammond meets a mysterious fan, Daniella (Olivia Wilde ) there. This leads to...
Story Two, the main story, which shows an author's solitary life is not a romantic one, unless you're handsome Bradley Cooper who plays Rory, a writer who has difficulty with his next novel now. With the blank page staring back at him, he has not found any words, be they right or wrong, to create that next novel. The words somehow elude him. That is until one day when his loving wife ( Zoe Saldana ) buys him an antique briefcase which happens to contain a lost manuscript by another nameless writer, henceforth named the Old Man ( Jeremy Irons ). This, of course, leads our conflicted Rory to a moral and ethical crossroads and takes us to...
Story Three, in which a young WWII soldier falls for a French woman, played by Ben Barnes and Nora Arnezeder, who love and suffer as beautifully as they look. And suffer do we all in this predictable and conflicted romantic tale, as The Words tries to connect its various subplots about the past and present events with varying degrees of success.
Newcomers Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal solidly directed the film, but it is their work as the film's screenwriters where they lose their direction. The filmmakers essentially try to converge three separate tales into one multi-layered story, but the stories never become a cohesive whole. This writing team should have done some further editing and revisions, blocking their tendency to complicate their film with multiple narrative structuring. Perhaps if they would have focused and expanded on one central storyline, the film would have been more interesting and fulfilling. As it is, the multi-story arcs never bridge the gap and the moviegoer is left wondering about all the fuss.
Most of the actors deliver their lines with effective precision and add greater depth with their loosely written roles. Cooper, Saldana, and Barnes achieve credibility and have some strong moments, and Irons, with his acting formidable talents, brings a hint of tragedy and pathos that is missing from this sketchiest of character. His is a wonderful supporting performance in a film that needs all the support it can get.
Ironically, it's the written words from an ill-conceived script that cannot rectify and resolve the multiple story lines in The Words. Its cumbersome interweaving of its trio of stories just becomes a tangled melodramatic mess, ultimately leaving The Words rather tongue-tied. GRADE: C
Visit my blog at: www.dearmoviegoer.com
ANY COMMENTS: Please contact me at: jadepietro@rcn.com
'We all make our choices in life, the hard thing to do is live with them.'
gradyharp29 December 2012
The authors (and directors and actors in the film) Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal offer their audience a cinematic experience in the manner in which writers think and work, a story that goes beyond 'words' to philosophy and in the telling of this layered tale of a story about a story about a story they honor the intelligence of the viewer - a refreshing stance in this time of sci-fi, comic book, potty mouth slapstick etc films that crowd the marquees and bring in the bucks.
Much of the joy of the film is in the telling: we are left to figure out just what is reality and what is fiction, what is original and what is plagiarism, and who in the final analysis is telling the real tripartite story we have witnessed. The story is narrated by Clay Hammond (Dennis Quaid) who has written a book about a man Rory (Bradley Cooper) who found fame after years of frustration as a blocked writer when he discovered an old manuscript in a valise and falls in love with the story, copies it verbatim, has it published, and gains fame and fortune - yet always is concerned that he plagiarized some unknown writer's work. He meets an old man (Jeremy Irons) who gradually reveals that the story is his long lost work - a story about the old man's love affair in France at the end of WW II and the tragedy he suffered that led to the writing of the lost book. As Rory and the old man face the reality of the coincidence life plays tricks and the story returns to the presentation by Clayton Hammond of his prize winning novel that in essence is about the stories we have witnessed. We are left wonder what is fact and what is fiction, and the question is posed as to what have we really have observed.
The actors from each section of this tripartite tale offer exemplary performances: Bradley Cooper and Zoë Saldaña make a credible couple caught up in the frustrations of an early writer's career, Jeremy Irons is solid as are the characters in the life he has described with written words (Ben Barnes and Nora Arnezeder), the various publishing industry people (Zeljko Ivanek, Ron Rifkin), and smaller parts by Liz Stauber, J.K. Simmons, Olivia Wilde and others. This is a story that describes as well as any the machinations, frustrations, inspirations, rewards and mixed realities that accompany the career of a writer. It is a refreshing food for thought film.
Grady Harp
Much of the joy of the film is in the telling: we are left to figure out just what is reality and what is fiction, what is original and what is plagiarism, and who in the final analysis is telling the real tripartite story we have witnessed. The story is narrated by Clay Hammond (Dennis Quaid) who has written a book about a man Rory (Bradley Cooper) who found fame after years of frustration as a blocked writer when he discovered an old manuscript in a valise and falls in love with the story, copies it verbatim, has it published, and gains fame and fortune - yet always is concerned that he plagiarized some unknown writer's work. He meets an old man (Jeremy Irons) who gradually reveals that the story is his long lost work - a story about the old man's love affair in France at the end of WW II and the tragedy he suffered that led to the writing of the lost book. As Rory and the old man face the reality of the coincidence life plays tricks and the story returns to the presentation by Clayton Hammond of his prize winning novel that in essence is about the stories we have witnessed. We are left wonder what is fact and what is fiction, and the question is posed as to what have we really have observed.
The actors from each section of this tripartite tale offer exemplary performances: Bradley Cooper and Zoë Saldaña make a credible couple caught up in the frustrations of an early writer's career, Jeremy Irons is solid as are the characters in the life he has described with written words (Ben Barnes and Nora Arnezeder), the various publishing industry people (Zeljko Ivanek, Ron Rifkin), and smaller parts by Liz Stauber, J.K. Simmons, Olivia Wilde and others. This is a story that describes as well as any the machinations, frustrations, inspirations, rewards and mixed realities that accompany the career of a writer. It is a refreshing food for thought film.
Grady Harp
A very good drama, that falls short at the end...
drmagoo-605-36565410 February 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Although I give this move 8/10, it still falls short at the end. One of my favorite movies of all time is "The Man from Earth (2007)" and I am so reminded of that film when watching this one.
There is a story, within the story, within the story. But what they miss, in my view, is to really plant that seed of doubt firmly in the mind of the audience. As the credits starts rolling up the screen, you feel that the movie ended way to soon. That you got cut off mid sentence.
All the intricate parts are there, the storytelling is really breathtaking but they still fall short. If they just put a little bit more effort into the "real" story, it would have made such a difference.
Hey, but still... A really good movie that I enjoyed so much, but noting more. Worth every buck-
There is a story, within the story, within the story. But what they miss, in my view, is to really plant that seed of doubt firmly in the mind of the audience. As the credits starts rolling up the screen, you feel that the movie ended way to soon. That you got cut off mid sentence.
All the intricate parts are there, the storytelling is really breathtaking but they still fall short. If they just put a little bit more effort into the "real" story, it would have made such a difference.
Hey, but still... A really good movie that I enjoyed so much, but noting more. Worth every buck-
This years gem
buryzoli10 December 2012
This film is a rare and brilliant combination of book and movie. You will see this movie like reading a book, just Your imagination will be rest, replaced with this lovely pictures and actors. Words and frames will flow smoothly together before Your eyes, like a big, calm river but with volume, deepness and strenght. The narrator (good choice for Dennis Quaid, especially for His voice) will read for You, Jeremy Irons ("the old man"-a wonderful play of course), Bradley Cooper (just slightly under the other two great actors), Dennis Quaid, Zoe Saldana (good enough), Olivia Wilde (bad choice), Ben Barnes (nice play) and the others, will told the story in a great acting. Highly recommended for film and book lovers too. Beside the good story and acting, what I like most in "The words" is the words.
Very interesting story about writers and their words.
TxMike17 February 2013
Warning: Spoilers
The DVD has an extra that I found as compelling as the movie itself. It turns out writer/director Brian Klugman (nephew of Jack Klugman) and star Bradley Cooper (who also acted as producer) were close friends since growing up together in Philadelphia. They have had this story on their personal radars since around 1999. There always was an intention to turn it into a movie, and Cooper remembers regretting that he would not have a chance to be in it (too young, not well-know yet). But as fate would have it, and the passage of time, they made this movie and Bradley Cooper stars in it. Quite a good movie, too.
The story begins with Dennis Quaid as popular and successful author Clay Hammond showing up at an event of his, to read from his latest book. The book was about an author who was so far unsuccessful selling his work. He was married, happily, but he was becoming discouraged and still occasionally borrowing money from his dad to pay the rent.
The story dissolves as Clay speaks to show Bradley Cooper as Rory Jansen and Zoe Saldana as his wife Dora, getting into a car in the pouring rain, and Jeremy Irons simply as 'The Old Man ' is watching them from near the exit of the building. Rory is now a successful author, but The Old Man knows his secret. Because Rory's successful book, a touching story set in post-war France was written by the Old Man, the manuscript was lost when a leather satchel with it was accidentally left on the train by his young wife all those years ago. And in current time Rory found it in an antique shop in Paris, the yellowed type-written manuscript was hidden inside. Rory could never come up with such a touching story, nor the beautiful words, he simply re-typed it word-for-word and sold it as his own creation.
Had it not been for the Old Man now living in New York, and happening to see the book in a store window, then reading it, Rory's secret might have never been exposed. But when it was there was much anguish to deal with, both within himself and with his wife.
SPOILERS: So what we are seeing is three movies folded into one. The story of the young couple in Paris in the late 1940s, and the story he wrote of their life. The story of Rory and his dealing with the manuscript he discovered. And Clay telling the story, which by the end we figure is actually about his own life, that he became a famous author by publishing a manuscript that he found. And the overall moral is that each of us runs up against things in our lives that may not be ideal, but somehow we have to get past it and deal with it. The Old Man didn't want anything, no money nor public admission by Rory, just that Rory needed to live with the burden that someone else's WORDS made him successful.
The story begins with Dennis Quaid as popular and successful author Clay Hammond showing up at an event of his, to read from his latest book. The book was about an author who was so far unsuccessful selling his work. He was married, happily, but he was becoming discouraged and still occasionally borrowing money from his dad to pay the rent.
The story dissolves as Clay speaks to show Bradley Cooper as Rory Jansen and Zoe Saldana as his wife Dora, getting into a car in the pouring rain, and Jeremy Irons simply as 'The Old Man ' is watching them from near the exit of the building. Rory is now a successful author, but The Old Man knows his secret. Because Rory's successful book, a touching story set in post-war France was written by the Old Man, the manuscript was lost when a leather satchel with it was accidentally left on the train by his young wife all those years ago. And in current time Rory found it in an antique shop in Paris, the yellowed type-written manuscript was hidden inside. Rory could never come up with such a touching story, nor the beautiful words, he simply re-typed it word-for-word and sold it as his own creation.
Had it not been for the Old Man now living in New York, and happening to see the book in a store window, then reading it, Rory's secret might have never been exposed. But when it was there was much anguish to deal with, both within himself and with his wife.
SPOILERS: So what we are seeing is three movies folded into one. The story of the young couple in Paris in the late 1940s, and the story he wrote of their life. The story of Rory and his dealing with the manuscript he discovered. And Clay telling the story, which by the end we figure is actually about his own life, that he became a famous author by publishing a manuscript that he found. And the overall moral is that each of us runs up against things in our lives that may not be ideal, but somehow we have to get past it and deal with it. The Old Man didn't want anything, no money nor public admission by Rory, just that Rory needed to live with the burden that someone else's WORDS made him successful.
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