The Unsaid (2001)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Tom McLoughlin

Writers (WGA):

Christopher Murphey (story)
Miguel Tejada-Flores (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

14 September 2001 (Italy)

Genre:

Thriller

Tagline:

He'll risk everything to unlock the secrets of the past.

Plot:

A seemingly-untroubled adolescent carries disturbing secrets that compel a psychiatrist to unearth the patient's gruesome past.

Plot Keywords:

Jail | Psychiatrist | Suicide | Boy | Beating

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Andy Garcia	...	Michael Hunter
Trevor Blumas	...	Kyle Hunter
Chelsea Field	...	Penny Hunter
Linda Cardellini	...	Shelly Hunter
Peter Hanlon	...	University Chairman
Teri Polo	...	Barbara Lonigan
Dena Lang	...	Gina
Trevor Aikman	...	Graduate Student
Brendan Fletcher	...	Troy Pasternak
Vincent Kartheiser	...	Thomas Caffey
David Millbern	...	Brad (as David Millburn)
Max Peters	...	Young Tommy
Sam Bottoms	...	Joseph Caffey
Sarah Deakins	...	Diana Caffey
Joe Drago	...	Flashback Cop

Also Known As:

Sins of the Father (USA) (working title)
The Ties That Bind (USA) (original script title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, nudity/sexual content, language and some drug material.

Runtime:

Argentina:111 min | Colombia:109 min | France:111 min | Germany:105 min | Peru:108 min | USA:111 min (DVD)

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Portugal:M/16 | Netherlands:16 | Netherlands:12 (TV version) | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Denmark:15 | Germany:16 (video premiere) | Peru:14 | Spain:18 | USA:R | South Korea:15 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

Company:

New Legend Media

Goofs:

Continuity: When Tommy scares Shelly when she is making him a drink, her hair changes from being behind her back and ears, to in front of her.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Joseph Caffey: If you repeat this I will deny it. Like I have been and I always will. To my grave. Do you understand?

A Journey Into Deep-Buried Secrets

The title of the film is a perfect depiction of what the story is about: "The Unsaid" is a journey full of agony and tension, into the deep-buried and untold secrets lurking in the hearts of Tommy Caffey (Kartheiser) and his therapist, Dr. Michael Hunter (Garcia).

Dr. Hunter, who has not completely recovered from the shock of his son's Kyle (Blumas) suicide, is persuaded by a former student of his, Dr. Wagner (Polo), to take the case of a seemingly normal adolescent, Tommy. The young boy, who in the past suffered a deeply traumatic experience by watching his father kill his mother, initially gets along well with his new therapist; moreover, Dr. Hunter himself seems to draw comfort from the boy's presence, as he reminds him of his lost son. However, things gradually become more complicated, as Tommy and Shelly (Cordellini), the daughter of Dr. Hunter, meet and become fond of each other; moreover, Tommy's case is not as simple as it first seemed...

The film portrays three troubled characters: Kyle, Tommy, and Hunter himself. The performances by the respective actors, namely Blumas, Kartheiser, and Garcia, are simply superb. Although one might expect such A-level acting by a star of Andy Garcia's caliber, it is positively surprising and very heartening to watch young actors doing such a good job. Cordellini is also very convincing as Hunter's detached and confused daughter, while the rest of the cast remains on a generally satisfactory level.

McLoughlin's direction is balanced and well-executed, building up the tension when he should, but without resorting to needless exaggerations.

"The Unsaid" is overall a solid film that studies the secrets buried inside the human soul. 7/10.