Review: Tell No One (2008) *** 1/2
Marie-Josée Croze and François Cluzet in Tell No One
Based upon the novel by Harlan Coben, Tell No One (Ne le dis a personne) is a surprising French mystery thriller written and directed by Guillaume Canet. Taking a familiar missing-wife/husband-accused storyline, the movie is spun into something altogether more satisfying by keeping the plot and action from overwhelming the characters and the central emotion.
It begins with a married couple, Alex and Margot, as they spend a leisurely weekend at the lake. Though they’re clearly one of those couples who are still playful and very much in love, they have a mild argument while resting on a swimming platform after a long day’s swim. She returns to shore in a huff, there is a commotion and Margot cries out for help. Alex dives in to reach his wife, but when he emerges along the darkened shore, he’s knocked unconscious.
The story then jumps forward 8 years. In the interim we learn that Margot’s body was found, the presumed victim of a serial killer. Though Alex appears to be finally putting his life back together, the case is reopened when two more bodies are discovered near the crime scene that don’t fit the serial killer’s MO. What’s more, the police renew their initial suspicion that Alex may actually have had his wife killed. The mystery deepens when Alex begins receiving emails that indicate Margot may still be alive.
It’s the foundation of dozens of tired American thrillers, but with his European sensibility, Canet has something different in mind. There is plenty of suspense as Alex delves into the mystery and a conspiracy begins to emerge, but Canet always keeps things on a low simmer. This isn’t a slick, overstuffed action picture with neatly calculated plot points. While there is finally a chase scene an hour into the film, it almost comes as a surprise. It’s all the more exciting for being unexpected and it serves to heighten the emotion of the movie rather than disguise the fact that there isn’t any. Time and again, the action in Tell No One serves the feelings the movie provokes rather than burying them.
To that end, François Cluzet is perfectly cast as Alex. He has a gentleness to him and he looks a bit like Dustin Hoffman, but with finer features and without the nervous awkwardness. He’s easy to root for, but he’s no action hero. Fortunately, he doesn’t have to be. Rather than having him jump from one action set piece to another, the story gives us a chance to feel his complex emotions. There is his wrenching sadness of having lost the woman he loves, there is his fear that he might be found guilty of the crime and, of course, there is his hope that she may still be alive.
The emphasis on emotion is a wise decision by the filmmaker because, like the plots of so many mystery thrillers, the resolution of Tell No One is not quite as satisfying as the mystery itself. Naturally there is a big reveal and a few twists, but it’s a little like a magician revealing how he’s performed the illusion: suddenly the marvelous is simply ordinary. Because of the film’s particular slant however, the emotional weight lingers even as the details of plot fade from memory.
Consider a classic like Chinatown where the final, memorable punch of the film is Gittes’ realization of how far reaching and impenetrable the conspiracy really is. By comparison the impact of Tell No One is purely emotional. In the end, it’s really a story as uncluttered and simple as a man who loves his wife and, as such, it’s a refreshing change from the ordinary.
Tell No One (Ne le dis a personne). France 2006 (US release 2008). Written and Directed by Guillaume Canet. Based upon a novel by Harlan Coben. Cinematography by Christophe Offenstein. Edited by Hervé de Luze. Music score composed by Mathieu Chedid. Starring François Cluzet, Marie-Josée Croze, Kristin Scott Thomas, André Dussollier and Marina Hands. 2 hours 6 minutes. Unrated by the MPAA. 3.5 stars (out of 5)
Filed under: Reviews
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I promise I will be back to read this as soon as I have finished writing my own. I really enjoyed the film, and I didn’t expect to.
Oddly enough, I nearly saw this film last night in Manhattan, but I opted to see another French film, THE GROCER’S SON at the Cinema Village, as it is nearing the end of its run, and I am well-aware of Daniel’s very positive feelings for it.
The review is again emblematic of it’s author: cleanly-written, straight-forward and lyrical writing style that makes every review fun to read. I particular liked the explanation of the overiding “emotion” that, while leaving the intricate memory of the plot behind, make TELL NO ONE quite memorable on that level. Indeed, that is the one element that often wins over viewers that might be turned off by plot convolutions.
Daniel, Eric Guirado’s THE GROVER’S SON was delightful. It was admittedly slight, but that was the entire point of this rural prodigal son drama with had a number of those small moments that added up to an indelible whole. The bartering of the different items, (I loved the way the initially-resistant Antoine successfully navigates the trading of kittens, stressing their “cuteness.” But this is a story of intoxicating re-awkening……….the film I thought of as I watched the 9:40 P.M. show was ENCHANTED APRIL, even if the particulars were not quite similar. It is show how a nowhere situation could be resusitated by the right environment, which in this case was an opportunity that surfaced after his father’s sudden ailment. The romantic angle flows smoothly within the narrative of this feel-good-movie that is adept as processing quirkiness and local beavior and customs in village hamlets. Most enjoyable Dan, I could well see why you were so impressed. I will send my own review of it to Craig, who is on my e mail list. Thanks for this rewarding recommendation.
First, I must say that I’m glad to see you’re continuing to get these reviews out, Craig. This is the first I’ve learned that Naomi Watts doppelganger Croze is in this, which based on her spot in The Diving Bell brings this even higher on my list. Kristen Scott Thomas is also somebody I feel like I haven’t seen on screen in a long time.
Second, I’m honored that you took my praise for The Grocer’s Son as a recommendation, Sam, and glad that you delivered an honest opinion here. It’s a film for which I’ve only found a few reviews, and though the consensus is positive, it does have its critics. Like you, I found the provincial customs and setting quite charming, and the overall production warm and well paced. Maybe the “feel-good” aspect of it is what really sealed it for me as one of my favorites for this year so far. There don’t seem to be enough of those these days, at least not ones that are believable. If it’s not an inconvenience, I wonder if you could copy me on the review that you email to getafilm [at] gmail.com?
But not to hijack this review thread already…at least they’re both contemporary French films?
I look forward to hopefully seeing Tell No One next week. The French are just on fire with movies this year. Is there anything on the way in the second half that you can think of, Craig, and how would you compare this with Roman de Gare?
I would be most honored to forward you the review, Daniel, which I will write over the next few days. Yes the “French connection” so to speak, validates the cross discussion here, methinks. French cinema has had a banner year, and while I will of course yield to Craig on that comparison of these two connected genre films, (I haven’t seen TELL NO ONE yet) I will say that my own Gallic favorite (and one of the year’s best films is Rivette’s THE DUTCHESS………also known as DON’T TOUCH THE AXE, which is now available on a Region 2 DVD.
Daniel, I saw some further similarities to two other small-town French minor gems from the late eighties—MY FATHER’S GLORY and MY MOTHER’S CASTLE. In these films, as wellas in THE GROCER’S SON, the countryside plays as important a role as the characters.
Inevitably, there was bound to be a few naysayers on THE GROCER’S SON, as it can quite easily be interpreted as a “lightweight” with little substance. But it is a highly observational film, with subtleties ,local nuances and color and a strong documentary-feel.
Thanks for the review, Craig. I’ll try my best to check it out. I’m a sucker for French films, and really do enjoy thrillers, so it’s a perfect match.
I’ve said before that Croze gave last year’s most beautiful, tender performance. I first saw her in “The Barbarian Invasions” and was instantly captivated. But it was “The Diving Bell and The Butterfly” that made me a fan for life. Not to mention, Guillaume Canet is a favorite of mine. A talented actor in his own right, it’s been a pleasure to see him grow as a filmmaker.
Some trivia for you: Canet is currently dating this year’s Oscar, BAFTA, and Golden Globe winner for best actress. She also co-starred with him in “Love Me If You Dare” a few years back. Twisted movie, that one, but a visual marvel.
I must skip this discussion because this film will be opening here in a few weeks and it’s on my short list to see.
Who is that award winner, Dorothy? :-P Maybe you’re tired of writing her name!
I think the acting in TDBBTB was completely overlooked last year. Apparently I was the only one who though Amalric was award-worthy, and I agree that Croze carried a huge emotional load in that film as well. It’s hard to justify calling anything “overlooked” last year, though, because the quality traffic was just so high.
Daniel, you aren’t the only one who thought Amalric was award-worthy. He and Max von Sydow both deserved nominations, in my humble opinion. I adored the movie and thought the entire cast was terrific. Croze did carry a huge emotional load, as you point out, and Seigneur also gave an extremely moving performance.
Amen, Alison, Amen.
I look forward to your take on it Nick. I haven’t read any other reviews of it yet. I’ve gotten into that habit lately where I’m kind of afraid to hear what other people are saying. I’m not sure why.
Thanks for the compliments Sam. Much as I enjoyed Tell No One, it sounds like you made the right decision to go with Grocer’s Son, particularly since its days are numbered. I second your opinion of Duchess, Sam, though I found it to be a bit more inscrutible than you. As I’ve said elsewhere, Rivette remains a huge blindspot in my film experience so I wasn’t quite sure what to make of it.
Lately Daniel, my radar only extends as far as the next weekend forecast unless there are trailers that I’ve seen. The only good French news in the near term I can see is Godard’s Contempt playing in LA starting next week. As for Roman vs. Tell, Roman was more fun. Had I reviewed it, I probably would’ve given it 4 stars. There was a point in the third quarter of Tell No One were I was actually thinking I wasn’t going to like it that much. The mystery was starting to unravel and it just wasn’t that interesting to me. Luckily, the emotional hook got me.
I’m so out of it this morning, I didn’t know who the hell Dorothy was talking about until Daniel’s comment. Hi. I’m retarded. Canet had a small part in Tell No One, though I didn’t know it until I was writing the review.
The bad news is that, as the dead woman, Croze doesn’t exactly eat up screen time. The good news is she’s great and it’s not at all hard to see why Cluzet would be so in love with her.
Put me down on the list of people who loved the performances in Diving Bell.
Daniel, you wouldn’t believe how naturally typing her name comes to me by now; my keyboard sighs in annoyance every single time :-)
And let me pile on to the hosannas being thrown at “Diving Bell.” It is one of the saddest things in Oscar history that Max Von Sydow keeps getting the shaft. Here is a man who could easily hold the title of “greatest living actor” but the Academy simply keeps ignoring him. He was heartbreakingly good in “Diving Bell.” I thought this might be the year (and with Ingmar’s passing…well, I thought some sort of cosmic trigger would result in Oscar glory; alas, I was quite wrong). I can think of at least three other occasions where he should have *won* (e.g., “Hour of the Wolf,” “The Virgin Spring,” “The Exorcist”…yes, “The Exorcist.”).
Almaric was a nothing short of a revelation, but I’m comforted by the fact he received the Cesar. The film itself was in my top 3 of the year (”Control” and “There Will Be Blood” being the other two). Truly a thing of beauty.
Put me down on that list as well, “Diving Bell” actually managed to find its footing as number 2 in my top ten list. The performances were terrific in it and Marie-Josée Croze’s perf. was beguiling, and effortlessly stunning. And she’s so pretty.
I really have to see this before I engage the rest of you wonderful people, like Joel. Very much looking forward to this.
Ditto with Nick. I’ll be back to read and comment once I have my own piece finished.
If Marie Josee Croze is in this, I’ll watch it. She was splendid in Diving Bell. HEck, she made an impact in her five minutes in Munich.
Saw it today after The X-Files (which was better than the haters would have you believe… it ended the whole saga on a better note than the TV show did, for me, anyway, but it has flaws aplenty to pick at if you want to) and I liked it rather well.
It’s funny, sometimes Craig, you and I have just about exactly the same thoughts/feelings about a film. I think that’s the case here. There was a certain point in Tell No One where I was almost thinknig, “This is starting to lose me.” I think it was when the focus went off of Cluzet (who, like, Marie Josee-Croze, is excellent in this) and onto not-entirely-fleshed-out characters like those two cops and Cluzet’s lawyer, but then in the last stretch it got me again, particularly with the emotional hook.
Great review, and it helps that I agree on practically every point.
We don’t agree on everything Alexander, but sometimes we’re exactly on the same page. The ending was what finally sold me on the film. Like you, there was literally a point part way through where I thought I was going to have to pan the movie, but it hung in there by a thread. The whole part ***spoiler*** where the father was doing the scooby doo thing by admitting everything ***end spoiler*** was super pointless and boring and familiar to me. Had the movie just been a thriller, I wouldn’t have liked it, but as I said in the Watercooler, for me it was a love story.
I’ll have more to say perhaps at CCC a bit later when I check out your review.
I agree, that very lengthy sequence with the father (ha, love the scooby doo comment) while ever so slightly engaging on a very limited, let’s-see-just-what-happened level, was ultimately disappointing in its familiarity. You’re right, it’s a love story with many thriller trappings.
I find it interesting that you and I have given the film the exact same rating, Craig, but the tenor of our reviews is completely different. Just goes to show how pointless star ratings are, but all of us already knew that.
Everyone seems to have been quite taken with the emotional core of the story. That, to me, is what faltered. I knew what they were trying to do, but because of the brevity of Margot’s development at the beginning, I didn’t connect with the film as you did. I didn’t know who she was, and I didn’t have long enough to get to know her and Alex as a couple, so the driving force in the film - is she alive or not? - was lost on me. In fact, I enjoyed the mystery most of all, even the ’scooby doo’-esque tell-all at the end. But, I think I wanted to fell more, and didn’t, and was subsequently disappointed.
Also of note, every single review I’ve read so far has compared Cluzet to Dustin Hoffman. I thought I was being original when I made that comparison myself. :)
So, Sam, it appears you and I are in the same boat on this one, although perhaps for different reasons. I can forgive your prejudice against The Orphanage now.
Cluzet Hoffman. Hahha! Me too! Bastards.
I think for me, because I liked Croze so much and because they did a pretty good job with setting it up at the lake, I bought into the emotion. Also Cluzet was so sad and lost. I could feel his love for her.
Funny though like you said , that we both liked the movie about the same but for totally opposite reasons. That’s the fun of talking about them online with other movie fans.
I will say that I did compare the chase scene at the midpoint of the film to Marathon Man, and I think I was the only one who did that. But then thats not much in the way of bragging points, now is it?
We have to take what we can get. Originality is hard to come by.
What’s funny is I saw Jeff Wells write, weeks ago, that Cluzet was a dead ringer for Dustin Hoffman from over thirty years ago or so. I had never seen Cluzet before, and when I saw the film I thought, “Jeff Wells isn’t always wrong.”
I hate to do this to all of you, but although I really like the comparison to Dustin Hoffman, I couldn’t help thinking Cluzet was a dead ringer for American Idol’s Simon Cowell. In fact, at times I found it distracting but dammit, I enjoyed this movie. Cluzet is excellent and keeps the movie from just being a thriller. I too felt that Croze’s Margot was something of an enigma, barely revealed on screen but perfectly revealed in Cluzet’s torment and desperation.
Loved the entire cast. They were all excellent, especially Cluzet. I’d have to echo the appreciation for Croze, who’s been on my radar since I first noticed her aforementioned resemblance to Naomi Watts in Munich. I also agree that she’s one of the strongest elements of Diving Bell, albeit in a very small role.
For me, Tell No One is pure and near-perfect popcorn. When people I know whine at me that I’m just a weirdo because I don’t like most mainstream Hollywood thrillers, action movies, and genre pictures I can quietly point to a film like Tell No One and tell them to see what a real thriller is capable of. That mainstream dreck is just filler.
I agree that the Scooby scene was a little much but I felt the movie had to have that because the zingers were too complex and improbably convoluted to reveal in any economical fashion otherwise. I loved it though because the end of the movie really summed what kept me interested in it from the very beginning: that emotional core buoyed by Cluzet and Croze’s performances.
Oh, almost forgot: Best use of a Jeff Buckley song in just about ever.
Really glad you liked this one Joel. It seems like the people I’ve talked to are divided in half. The ones who liked it were drawn to the emotional core and the ones who don’t, weren’t. Evan is an anomaly here though, he wasn’t drawn to the emotion but he kind of liked it anyway.
And I agree, one of the joys of this one was how un-American it was. As I said above, the chase scene was so great in part because it was unexpected. It emphasized character over explosions.
I have to say though….I don’t see the Simon Cowell connection at all. I’m not arguing, I’m just saying. Maybe I have a mental block against that guy.
Yeah, the chase scene works well in spite of itself because the movie doesn’t bother setting you up to expect a big chase scene. My favorite moment of that entire sequence is ***SPOILER*** when the hero unexpectedly slips and falls, taking a truly bruising smack on the pavement. It’s one of those little touches an American movie wouldn’t put in there, reaffirming how not-an-action movie this all is and that our hero is just a regular guy in extraordinary circumstances. ***END SPOILER****
Anyway, I gave it some thought after the fact and realized the plot was more convoluted than I originally thought but whatever, I really enjoyed the movie while I was watching it and didn’t really feel the need to analyze every aspect of it. For me, that’s not easy to do watching a thriller so it gets high marks.
Maybe I was easily distracted by all the nudity? I don’t know…good movie though.
The plot didn’t feel any more convoluted than it does in any of these kinds of movies, it just had a more subtle approach to it so for those not distracted by the love story, it stuck out more.
In an American movie full of explosions and edited to within an inch of its life, you’re not given a chance to think about the ridiculous convolutions of plot.