The Words on Blu-ray/DVD/On Demand

The Words is a the kind of movie I remember my mom being obsessed with when I was little: romantic but with a tragic element underscoring the happiness of the attractive characters and a lot of cobblestone streets in drizzly urban settings. Like The Umbrellas of Cherbourg or The Way We Were, the characters make choices and have to deal with them, no matter how shattered, cynical, bitter and miserable they may become.

What makes The Words different is a three-tiered storyline that pairs couples across generations. It's not quite sci-fi but there is definitely an element of suspense that stems from not knowing which one is the "real" story. Ultimately, I wished there was more of a mystery involved. Bradley Cooper and Zoe Saldana star as Rory and Dora, a couple just out of college who move to New York to pursue literary aspirations. (Well, for him, anyway– it's never very clear what she does, aside from being pretty and supportive in a wifely fashion.) Jeremy Irons plays the old man who tracks Rory down with a secret. And the incredibly unlikely duo of Dennis Quaid and Olivia Wilde play the aging writer and grad student-cum-groupie who are also entangled in the story.

The Words is compelling although it never really answers the questions it asks. It's still an engaging way to spend an hour and a half.


In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I received a copy of the DVD to facilitate this review. No compensation was provided for this post. All opinions are, as usual, entirely my own.