The Words

PG-13

Released Sep 7, 2012

1 hr. 36 min.

Drama

Romance

List

24%

128 Reviews

Tomatometer

49%

25,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

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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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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

linda b

I was into this movie until the end. What were they thinking? In fact what WAS the end? It took a turn into the abyss, and because of this I cannot recommend you watch to only be disappointed.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The most underrated movie. It is truly a must see. Critics must have watched a different movie.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/16/23

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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Critics Consensus: The Words Doesn’t Know What To Say

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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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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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
Executive Producer: Laura Rister, Cassian Elwes, Lisa Wilson, Bradley Cooper
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
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

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