THE WORDS
PG-13
96 Minutes
Directors: Brian Klugman, Lee Sternthal
Writers: Brian Klugman, Lee Sternthal
Stars: Bradley Cooper, Dennis Quaid, Olivia Wilde
Quite a few spoilers in this one.
Cast
Dennis Quaid … Clay Hammond
John Hannah … Richard Ford
Jeremy Irons … The Old Man
Bradley Cooper … Rory Jansen
Zoe Saldana … Dora Jansen
'The good parts of a book may be only something a writer is lucky enough to overhear or it may be the wreck of his whole damn life and one is as good as the other.'
-Ernest Hemingway
Bradley Cooper plays another brilliant author whose potential is not ‘LIMITLESS’. Struggling novelist, Rory Jansen stole a unpublished story from an old briefcase, and published it as his own.
After it became a best-seller, the old man who wrote the novel, confronted this fraud. Now, if you’ll let me indulge you for a moment. This is how the scene should have went…
Clay: It’s your word against mine, figuratively speaking. Yeah, I copied everything word-for-word, but aren’t all works of art derivative? Good thing Noah Webster isn’t alive because he’d come after you for stealing ‘his’ words from the dictionary. I thought you’d be happy, everyone is reading your book. Your only concern is vanity; for shame! So if you ask me, Bill Shakespeare, this matter is much ado about nothing. Now, we can handle this like gentlemen or we can get into some gangsta shit.
In reality, the young writer tries to make amends. I won’t bore you any further.
WORDS switches back and forth among a few different time periods. The old man’s tale took place in the 40′s. From there it gets confusing. I believe Rory Jansen’s part takes place close to the present. And the Clay Hammond’s segment is 20 years into the future. That’s just my best guess.
If you create a movie called ‘SMART PEOPLE’, don’t have it star Dennis Quaid. It’s like having a movie called ‘FUNNY PEOPLE’ starring Adam Sandler. This statement has no relation to this film, it just needs to be said.
Back On Topic
Having Dennis Quaid play an intelligent writer of any sort is a bit of stretch, whether it be novels or fortune cookies. He adds a somewhat unintentional hilarity to an otherwise serious film.
No, I’m not saying he’s talentless. Quaid is well-suited to playing a complete fraud. That’s an important distinction to make. He plays that type of character in WORDS. But it’s obvious he was holding back a little.
One plot twist I thought was apparent from the beginning: Clay Hammond and Rory Jansen are the same people.
This is one of those movies where you can’t distinguish fiction from reality. Because the challenge of separating fact from fiction is a challenge that is truly beyond belief. I’m Jonathan Frakes.
Final Verdict: 80 out 100
Sidenote: Flaws aside, this movie is still thoughtful and entertaing.