This crime thriller with Robert de Niro is popular and we understand why
If there is anyone who loves old crime thrillers it's me. From Se7en and Fallen to Silence of the Lambs and Heat. I devour them all. But a new movie with the same dark atmosphere? You don't just find that. Yet I found a gem on Netflix that has been number one for days: The Whisper Man. Robert De Niro is back, not as Neil McCauley, but as detective Peter Willis. In this gripping thriller, we follow Peter's son, who becomes obsessed with the serial killer who put his father behind bars. Do you want to see a good movie that you want to watch at all costs? Then I'm going to tell you why this one is for you.
What is The Whisper Man about?
We've already briefly discussed it, but to give a bit more detail: here we go. The Whisper Man is about Tom Kennedy (Adam Scott). He moves with his son to the village of Garretton to make a fresh start after the death of his partner. Where this seems at first glance to be the beginning of a new chapter, Tom does not know that an old serial killer lives in the village. And that he specifically targets young boys. When his son Jake is kidnapped, he begins to investigate who the perpetrator is. The trail leads him to a page from his life that he would prefer to leave behind: his father. Peter Willis (Robert De Niro) was the detective who investigated the same serial killer and managed to arrest him.
Who stars in The Whisper Man?
The main roles we've already discussed: the grieving father Tom Kennedy is played by Adam Scott. After Severance and Parks and Recreation we see him happily shine in a new movie again. Next to him, we see a lot of Robert De Niro, who plays his father Peter Willis. The detective who is on the case thirty years after Peter is Amanda. She is played by Michelle Monaghan, whom you probably know as Ethan Hunt's wife in Mission: Impossible and Made of Honor. Hamish Linklater plays Norman Collins, a serial killer collector who briefly seems to be a suspect. Additionally, we see Owen Teague as Francis Carter Jr., Michael Keaton as Frank Carter, Will Brill as Sergeant John Dyson, and Robert Clohessy as Victor Tyler.
Is The Whisper Man based on a book?
Yes. This new film is an adaptation of the book of the same name written by Alex North. And broadly speaking, the book and the film are quite similar. With a few adjustments, of course, because you can never fit an entire book into two hours. For example, Jake is only kidnapped towards the end of the book. In the film, this happens right away to add a ticking clock to the mystery. This gives the complicated relationship between father and son much more attention than in the book. Additionally, the story in the film does not take place in England, as in the book, but in the northeast of America. And Karen Shaw? She isn't even in the film anymore. But well. The core has remained the same: it revolves around loss, parenthood, and a painful bond between a parent and their child.
Why The Whisper Man is popular
A dark story about a serial killer always attracts viewers, but what The Whisper Man makes it so good specifically is that it is combined with a family drama. The grief, the guilt, and the poor relationship between father and son make this a film that you keep watching. There is more to it than just a ‘who is the killer’ mystery. Add Robert De Niro, Adam Scott, Michelle Monaghan, and Michael Keaton to that, and you have a cast that you definitely want to keep watching.
This film also has just a bit more horror-like elements, which give this thriller a creepier feel than a standard ‘whodunnit’ film. I don't know about you, but those whispering children's rhymes and music really give me the creeps. Brrr.
So. Do you dare to watch this film?
