Friday, October 10, 2008

Tell No One

Tell No One is a French thriller, subtitled and all.

But, instead of exiting this movie exclaiming, "How French!," I was left wondering, "How French?"

Tell No One is adapted from a Harlan Coben thriller, Harlan Coben being an American writer who sets mosts of his books in the New York/New Jersey area.

Not having read the book, though, the movie's French setting in Paris and its environs seems wholly natural. The French justice and police system seems organic to the story. Even the French hoodlums to whom Dr. Beck turns for help are familiar and yet curious.

At the end of the day, the movie is a thriller, a very good thriller. But even there, how is it different because it's a French thriller than if it were an American thriller? More chases, more action? There is a strong interior story developed here.

Don't misunderstand. Much of what I've discussed above occurred to me only after the conclusion of the film. During the film, I was not distracted by these inquiries. The movie is enthralling and does not lend itself to inattention. It is not predictable but neither are its plot twists serpentine.

Quite satisfying.

No comments: