The Words

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The Words

PG-13

Released Sep 7, 2012

1h 36m

Drama

Romance

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Popcornmeter

24%

Tomatometer

127 Reviews

49%

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25,000+ Ratings

When shallow wannabe-writer Rory (Bradley Cooper) finds an old manuscript tucked away in a bag, he decides to pass the work off as his own. The book, called "The Window Tears," brings Rory great acclaim, until the real author (Jeremy Irons) shows up and threatens to destroy Rory's reputation. Cut to Clayton Hammond (Dennis Quaid), a writer whose popular novel "The Words" seems to mirror Rory's story, leading to speculation that the tome is Hammond's thinly veiled autobiography.

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Critics Consensus

Neither as clever nor as interesting as it appears to think it is, The Words maroons its talented stars in an overly complex, dramatically inert literary thriller that's ultimately a poor substitute for a good book.

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Christopher Orr

The Atlantic

The story-within-a-story-within-a-story is so slight and inconsequential, like the tiniest of a set of Russian nesting dolls, that we may be forgiven for letting our minds wander toward bedtime and tomorrow's errands.

Sep 7, 2012

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Drew Hunt

Chicago Reader

The premise is ambitious -- if not a little hokey -- but the meager themes of ephemeral authorship and constructed realities aren't exactly revelatory.

Sep 7, 2012

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Nell Minow

Beliefnet

There are some random parallels between the stories and some sophomoric exchanges about truth and art, and then it does not end - it just stops.

Rated: C

Sep 7, 2012

Full Review

Cory Woodroof

Lumination Network

Bradley Cooper has really got to stop doing bad things for the sake of writing.

Feb 11, 2022

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Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

The film is about characters you are unlikely to care about living out a multi-layered story you're unlikely to care about.

Rated: 1.5/4.0

Sep 27, 2020

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Leigh Paatsch

Herald Sun (Australia)

This is by no means a woeful effort, but it is a wasted opportunity.

Rated: 2.5/5

Aug 14, 2020

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Anna J

Perfect cast and a great script.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/15/24

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Georgan G

This gripping movie shows how lives intertwine. And how everyone makes choices that they must learn to live with. I don't understand why the critics did not like it. Perhaps their lives are so simplistic they can't imagine how others may live.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

05/30/24

Full Review

Francesca B

I would not watch it a second time, but I would watch it again for the first time.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

09/04/23

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Audience Member

Great movie, Great plot, Good storyline moves the scenes along well. Intriguing from the beginning.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/02/23

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Audience Member

"I loved the words more than the woman I was writing them for!" "I'm not who I thought I was... and I'm terrified that I never will be."

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

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Audience Member

An original simplification that complexly tackles the story within story format in attempted novel form of generational layered nuance as thematic appreciation over writer hardships and stressfully acknowledged morale with fine rationality, decently expressed by well-casted performances characteristically blurring the lines between relevancy and irrelevancy over a story's own respective tonal shifts. (B)

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

Full Review

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Brian Klugman

Director

Lee Sternthal

Director

Bradley Cooper

Rory

Jeremy Irons

The Old Man

Dennis Quaid

Clay Hammond

Olivia Wilde

Danielle

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Synopsis

When shallow wannabe-writer Rory (Bradley Cooper) finds an old manuscript tucked away in a bag, he decides to pass the work off as his own. The book, called "The Window Tears," brings Rory great acclaim, until the real author (Jeremy Irons) shows up and threatens to destroy Rory's reputation. Cut to Clayton Hammond (Dennis Quaid), a writer whose popular novel "The Words" seems to mirror Rory's story, leading to speculation that the tome is Hammond's thinly veiled autobiography.

Director: Brian Klugman, Lee Sternthal
Producer: Michael Benaroya, Tatiana Kelly, Jim Young
Screenwriter: Brian Klugman, Lee Sternthal
Distributor: CBS Films
Production Co: Serena Films, Also Known As Pictures, Rose Pictures, Animus Films
Rating: PG-13 (Smoking|Brief Strong Language)
Genre: Drama, Romance
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 7, 2012, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 22, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $11.4M
Runtime: 1h 36m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

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