On U List of Movie Reviews
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The Unsaid (2001)
Rate:
8
Viewed:
6/25
6/25:
Made for $22 million, The Unsaid was never theatrically released in the United States.
Well, the public missed out on a good one. For a while, the story seemed to be a mix of
Silent Fall and Primal Fear, but
it kept getting better and then went into a unique direction. The last fifteen minutes is quite shocking because
of the revelation. I never expected the "why."
I've always maintained my stance that Andy Garcia is an underrated actor, close enough to be in Al Pacino's league.
He proves it again in The Unsaid and plays a psychiatrist in the most credible manner (he grew his
beard for real). I love how his character is confused in treating the kid patient because he reminds him of
his son who committed suicide and wants to save his son through him.
But really, the situation is rather more complicated than that. Enter Tommy with a completely different set
of issues on his own. Villains are created, and they know what they are doing. They've accepted that fact,
continuing their path of lawlessness. But Tommy isn't a villain. He's simply a dangerous individual with
repressed trauma that has gone untreated for so long. Michael Hunter (Andy Garcia) just happens to come along and
finds a way to unravel the mystery for the first time, and the result is powerful that unexpectedly costs
people lives.
If there's a glaring negative, it's the camera work. I hate when they have to shake it in crucial scenes.
There's absolutely no need for that. Let the acting take over, and The Unsaid will be better for it.
Had that happened, I would've rated the film '9'. By the way, the ending doesn't mean Michael Hunter is
continuing the treatment; it's only a dream. His job ended due to too much water under the bridge.
Regardless, Miguel Tejada-Flores and Scott Williams deserve credit for adapting the screenplay from a story by
Christopher Murphey. Everything feels real in terms of social work and counseling. As for the acting, Vincent
Kartheiser stands out, and it's a fine supporting performance by Linda Cardellini.
All in all, The Unsaid is among Andy Garcia's best films.