These days it seems that the majority of movies being made
include spectacular explosions set at a breathtaking pace or movies that are so
in tune with the art crowd that no one gets them nor wants to. But every now
and then a movie comes along that makes you think, makes you care and makes you
wonder what if.
THE WORDS is a story within a story within a story. That may
sound complicated at first but as it unfolds you find it's not really. Dennis
Quaid stars as Clay Hammond, an author at a reading for his biggest best
seller. With audience in rapt attention, Hammond begins to tell his story.
The story revolves around Rory Jansen (Bradley Cooper), a
struggling author who is deeply in love with the girl of his dreams Dora (Zoë
Saldana). In New York struggling to get
by things are tough but they manage living on love as much as their meager
incomes. Unable to find a publisher for his novel, Rory takes a job at a
publishing house to help make ends meet. Eventually he and Dora marry and spend
their honeymoon in Paris, the home of great authors of the past.
While in Paris Rory comes across an old briefcase in a used
goods store he admires and Dora buys it for him. When they return home he looks
at it closer to find a story inside unlike any he's ever read. This is great
writing. Unable to anchor his own thoughts to paper, Rory rewrites the piece he
found on his laptop. When Dora reads this story, she's brought to tears and
encourages him to submit it to a publisher. Rory's initial predicament is then
should he do it or not? It's not his story even though he's change it to his
style of writing. Is this the ethical thing to do?
He does submit the story and of course it becomes a major
best seller. Rory receives accolades for the tale he's told. And then one day
and old man (Jeremy Irons) follows him to the park and reveals to him that the
story was his, written when he was much younger and in Paris. He then reveals
the story behind the story to Rory, telling him how it came to be written and
why. Wanting nothing in return he simply lets Rory know that for him it was
about telling him how it came to be.
The question then becomes deeper for Rory. Should he let the
world know that this man was responsible for the tale and in so doing ruin his
career and possibly his marriage? Or should he continue on as if nothing every
happened?
At the same time there is the story of Clay. Tempted by a
young writing student named Daniella (Olivia Wilde), she wants to know what
happens at the end of the story. Clay left it for those at the reading to
discover when they bought the book. She has a desire to find out now and as
they discuss it the thought runs through both her mind and the viewers, could
Clay actually be Rory?
Very well made and plotted so that the pace of the film
slowly reveals the answers to most of these questions makes this a movie worth
watching. The sense of time and place are well thought out and on display here.
The acting by all those involved is wonderful to see with subtle tugs here and
there that make these characters believable. In lesser hands this would have
been just a tear jerking melodrama with no heart. From the writing to the
acting it is instead a movie that makes you feel for the characters.
Perhaps the biggest question that is dealt in this film is
one that is offered during the extras on the DVD. That question is what would
you do if God gave you the desire and passion to do something but you realized
you didn't have the talent? I don't think there is anyone who's never questioned
themselves with that one only to find they had no clear cut answer. Neither
does Rory or Clay. But in watching this film you walk away wondering once more
and feeling for each and every character, especially Rory. I couldn't stop
thinking when it was over, what would a man with a clear cut conscience do if
he felt himself forced to perform an unconscionable thing to achieve his
dreams? Hopefully we will never have to know first hand.
Click here to order.
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