The Words (2012)

A writer at the peak of his literary success discovers the steep price he must pay for stealing another man's work.

Directors:

Brian Klugman, Lee Sternthal

Writers:

Brian Klugman, Lee Sternthal

Stars:

Bradley Cooper, Dennis Quaid, Olivia Wilde

1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dennis Quaid	...	Clay Hammond
John Hannah	...	Richard Ford
Jeremy Irons	...	The Old Man
Bradley Cooper	...	Rory Jansen
Zoe Saldana	...	Dora Jansen (as Zoë Saldana)
Vito DeFilippo	...	New York Apartment Doorman (as Vito De Filippo)
Michael McKean	...	Nelson Wylie
Lucinda Davis	...	Vendor
J.K. Simmons	...	Mr. Jansen
Olivia Wilde	...	Daniella
James Babson	...	Dan Zuckerman
Kevin Desfosses	...	Rory's Assistant (as Kevin Desfossés)
Ron Rifkin	...	Timothy Epstein
Brian Klugman	...	Jason Rosen
Liz Stauber	...	Camy Rosen (as Elizabeth Stauber)

Storyline

Layered romantic drama The Words follows young writer Rory Jansen who finally achieves long sought after literary success after publishing the next great American novel. There's only one catch - he didn't write it. As the past comes back to haunt him and his literary star continues to rise, Jansen is forced to confront the steep price that must be paid for stealing another man's work, and for placing ambition and success above life's most fundamental three words.

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Plot Keywords:

story within a story | writer | book | narrator | plagiarism | 

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Taglines:

There's more than one way to take a life.

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for brief strong language and smoking

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

7 September 2012 (USA)

Also Known As:

Palabras robadas

Filming Locations:

Montréal, Québec, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,750,894, 9 September 2012, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$11,494,838, 30 May 2013

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$13,231,461, 30 May 2013

Company Credits

Production Co:

Also Known As Pictures, Benaroya Pictures, Animus Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Datasat Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Lee Sternthal and Brian Klugman wrote the script back in 1999. As friends of Bradley Cooper before his The Hangover (2009) fame, they ask him to play the lead, he accepted then, and kept his word more than ten years later.

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Goofs

When the old man is talking to Rory in the park the camera is showing his right side and he holds a half burned cigarette in his right hand. During the same conversation the old man then brings up a freshly lit cigarette in his left hand.

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Quotes

Clay Hammond: He loved her. He loved New York. But at night, when the city was finally quiet, he wrote.

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Alternate Versions

The US theatrical version was slightly censored for a PG-13 rating, removing several instances of strong language, and re-edited for shorter running time of 97 minutes. The US Blu-ray and DVD contain a 102 minute extended cut that restores these alterations, and several international theatrical releases (such as the UK), are based on this version.

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Connections

Featured in Chelsea Lately: Episode #6.132 (2012)

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Soundtracks

La Marseillaise
Written by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle
Performed by Ben Barnes

User Reviews

This years gem

This film is a rare and brilliant combination of book and movie. You will see this movie like reading a book, just Your imagination will be rest, replaced with this lovely pictures and actors. Words and frames will flow smoothly together before Your eyes, like a big, calm river but with volume, deepness and strenght. The narrator (good choice for Dennis Quaid, especially for His voice) will read for You, Jeremy Irons ("the old man"-a wonderful play of course), Bradley Cooper (just slightly under the other two great actors), Dennis Quaid, Zoe Saldana (good enough), Olivia Wilde (bad choice), Ben Barnes (nice play) and the others, will told the story in a great acting. Highly recommended for film and book lovers too. Beside the good story and acting, what I like most in "The words" is the words.