Tell Every One

"Ne le dis à personne" is fairly atypical for an independent French film in that it is a thriller of sorts.

While the promotional posters depicting François Cluzet on the run may make you think that it is an action-oriented movie, don't be misled by that. This is not a Bourne Identity sort of thriller, but more of a Seven kind of suspense drama, though nowhere rearly as gory...umm...so more of a The Client kind of suspense drama, I guess. It stays close to the plot and the characters rather than leaning on special effects and fight-sequences for support. And most importantly, it is not pretentious.

Dr. Alexandre Arnaud Beck (Cluzet) sorely misses his wife Margot (Marie-Josée Croze) who was murdered eight years ago by a serial killer. To get through life, he has immersed himself completely in his work as a pediatrician.

But then, Alex Beck's world turns upside down when by a stroke of fate two more bodies are discovered close to the site of Margot's murder. The police reopens Margot's case and Alex is once again the prime suspect. Wait, there's more - he then gets an email suggesting that she’s actually alive. And the games begin.

The direction is brooding, the audience follows the mystery along with the protagonist, and the characters are eccentriacally real. While the plot is not quite gripping, it does keep one interested and engaged. And while the twists and turns flirt with the ridiculous, they stay on the right side of the line.

Not that it is a perfect film. Far from it.

First of all, the music, though good, is completely out of place.

Then, the acting is not universally good. While François Cluzet is delightfully understated and mature, and most other actors (especially Kristin Scott Thomas and Andre Dussollier) support him very well, his two friends from "the dark side" leave much to be desired.

The editing is somewhat uneven, and the pace could have been faster.

Overall, a movie to watch.