Tell No One (2006)

☆ ☆ ☆

Tell No One (2006) – G. Canet

French thriller (based on a novel by American Harlan Coben) that is exciting and perplexing, throwing the lead character, a paediatrician (François Cluzet) off the deep end when the police re-open the investigation into the murder of his wife eight years later.  Suddenly, he is a suspect despite having been knocked unconscious during the attack that killed his wife.  As the police net tightens, he goes on the run, seeking to figure out who the real killers are -- although viewers could well suspect that he is hiding something himself, as the filmmakers only drip feed facts and clues to the audience.  Without spoiling things (as there are so many twists and turns, it is hard to keep them straight), let’s just say he comes to believe that his wife is still alive.  Of course, this is Hitchcock territory and it is easy to identify with the poor doctor swept along by events out of his control – and to feel suspense due to the many unknowns in the story (and many suspicious characters).  However, director Guillaume Canet never lets us forget that there is a romance at the heart of the film (even if it may have been betrayed).  Films with twists often include at least one long scene where a character explains it all and Tell No One is no different – in that way, it is a bit formulaic/generic.  But this is mainstream filmmaking designed for thrills (nothing much more) and it succeeds on that count with solid acting, good direction, and a crafty script.