The Unsaid (2001)

A seemingly-untroubled adolescent carries disturbing secrets that compel a psychiatrist to unearth the patient's gruesome past.

Director:

Tom McLoughlin

Writers:

Christopher Murphey (story), Miguel Tejada-Flores (screenplay)

Stars:

Andy Garcia, Vincent Kartheiser, Trevor Blumas

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Andy Garcia	...	Michael Hunter
Trevor Blumas	...	Kyle Hunter
Chelsea Field	...	Penny Hunter
Linda Cardellini	...	Shelly Hunter
Peter Hanlon	...	University Chairman
Teri Polo	...	Barbara Lonigan
Dena Lang	...	Gina
Trevor Aikman	...	Graduate Student
Brendan Fletcher	...	Troy Pasternak
Vincent Kartheiser	...	Thomas Caffey
David Millbern	...	Brad (as David Millburn)
Max Peters	...	Young Tommy
Sam Bottoms	...	Joseph Caffey
Sarah Deakins	...	Diana Caffey
Joe Drago	...	Flashback Cop

Storyline

Michael Hunter's lovely, beloved 17 year-old son Kyle committed suicide, although he was in therapy for depression. This ruins Michael's marriage, his daughter Shelly moves in with her mother. He stops treating patients in order to write and teach Psychotherapy, until many years later when a student gets him fascinated by the case of Thomas 'Tommy' Caffey. He was about to be released at his 18th birthday from the closed 'boys school' he was placed into after his father, Joseph, was put into jail for beating his adulterous mother to death. Michael feels that Tommy carries a big chip on his shoulder, ignores that Shelly fell for him at first sight, but is mesmerized by Tommy's resemblance (purposefully enhanced) to Kyle. There is also a revealing meeting with Tommy's dad in jail.

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Plot Keywords:

betrayal by a friend | betrayal | jail | depression | death | 

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Taglines:

He'll risk everything to unlock the secrets of the past.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, nudity/sexual content, language and some drug material

Details

Country:

Canada USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 September 2001 (Italy)

Also Known As:

Sins of the Father

Filming Locations:

Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

New Legend Media,CineSon Entertainment,Reynolds Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the US, UK, and Canada, the film was released straight to DVD, but in other parts of Europe (such as France, Italy and Spain), as well as in various Asian countries, it premiered in theaters.

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Goofs

When Tommy scares Shelly when she is making him a drink, her hair changes from being behind her back and ears, to in front of her.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Joseph Caffey: If you repeat this I will deny it. Like I have been and I always will. To my grave. Do you understand?

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Connections

Featured in Beyond Clueless (2014)

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Soundtracks

I start Falling
Written by Jim Latham
Published by Red Card Music (ASCAP)
Courtesy of Mar-Tune Records

User Reviews

Worth watching

There are many kinds of thriller/drama movies.

Some have the ability to confuse and bore you to death during most of the time, with just some good twist in the end, which "should" compensate for the "lentish", sacrificing hour before that. And many overrated movies have that formula, which only works because you become so numb as you watch it, that you feel very surprised by the final outcome of the plot, and then believe that it was such a terrific film.

Others are the exact opposite, meaning that they have a great starting point, but the story gets duller and duller until the final result becomes very predictable. And so many other variations of this genre may arise.

With `The Unsaid', however, you can expect to be tied to your seat the whole time as the plot develops. It has a dramatic starting point, a powerful and constant *thrilling* middle section and well, I won't refer the ending because, believe it, if you start watching this flick, you won't go away until you see the whole thing. It's that good! But that's me, I personally like movies that grab your attention from the start and make you not even take bathroom breaks or answer to your cell-phone calls. What about you?

The acting by Andy Garcia was brilliant; he really got inside his character. Only with a role like this could he show his true dramatic acting skills, and was followed very well by the rest of the cast. The directing was ok, and had some notorious influence on our understanding and dramatic effect of the scenes. It was done the way it's supposed to, clean and sober, even in action sequences. I won't refer to the story or the subjects it's about, since none of that is necessary here. This is a review, not a `plot outline'.

The bottom line is this: it's a definitely worth watching film! And if you're not entertained during and pleased after it, well. admit it: You watched some movie other than `The Unsaid'.