Tell No One

You have to give credit where credits due. For what happens to transform into a somewhat high-concept mystery, Tell No One manages to stay pretty down to earth. That is something few modern day (specifically American) mystery films fail to do. But the French have a better grasp on the subtle, realistic approach to film making than the U.S. does. Semantics aside, Tell No One is first a beautifully shot film. For a film of the mystery genre, it was nice to see some excellent camera work that didn't revolve around the noir look. Guillaume Canet has directed himself a brilliant film, and his cast deserves as much of the praise. Tell No One may be intelligent and thrilling on paper, but the cast has to bring those feelings to life, and that they do. Francois Cluzet, who plays Alexandre Beck, a doctor caught up in a twisted set of lies about the supposed murder of his wife, is phenomenal. He plays it low key, and sympathetic, which may or may not be related to his uncanny young Dustin Hoffman-look. Tell No One is likely a film that needs multiple viewings for full understanding, at least for me, and that is part of what makes it so good. Instead of getting wrapped up in the mystery, there are plenty of character moments that make Tell No One captivating, so watching it more than once isn't a chore.

Genre - Mystery (3.75)

Screenplay (4)
Acting (4)
Production (3)
Directing (4)