Don’t Say A Word (2001)

(In theaters, December 2001) Every month or so, studios churn out yet another unremarkable thriller. It stays a few weeks in theaters, then has an undistinguished life in video stores. Don’t Say A Word is another one of those “midlist” thrillers, adequate entertainment without being in any way memorable. Oh, the performances are fine: Michael Douglas is back in a clean-cut professional’s role, Famke Janssen is great eye-candy as the bed-bound wife and Brittany Murphy has a flashy role as a troubled teen. The first hour is intriguing, culminating in a good three-way escape sequence maybe thirty minutes before the end. After that, the film spins on itself and becomes increasingly sillier. Hey, it’s good fun without being too bad.