The Words

The cast was great, and I liked the subject matter a lot, but to tell you the truth, I don't know if I liked the film. The style of the narration, the transitions in the interweaving of the time planes, and the way the actors grasped their characters... In short, the whole thing had a slightly sentimental touch of cheesiness, which really disappointed me because otherwise I wouldn't have been so let down by the outcome. (28/05/2020)

I’m quite shocked by the hysterical negative reviews from America that ripped The Words apart. It’s actually a good film that wants to say something. Though the ending doesn’t present everything on a silver platter, I think the meaning is clear. In that regard, it is good. But don’t expect a romantic movie, The Words is actually a rather thoughtful and artsy, dramatic game. Anyone who’s up for it, can easily find something. Anyone who’s not up for it will get the chance to complain. (15/12/2012)

If nothing else, this film was constructed in an interesting way. It reminded me of a Matryoshka doll (or Russian nesting doll, as some might know it). It had this story within a story within a story format. While I could see through the attempt to add depth, I have to disagree with those who found it boring. Personally, I found these actionless ninety minutes enjoyable because they stirred up unexpected thoughts and emotions in me. (05/07/2022)

The character known as the old man has something of Hemingway, manuscripts that were lost, and this is also a story from Hemingway's life. But no, "The Words" is not a film about Hemingway. It is a film about an author who reads from his book about how another author wrote a book about someone else's life. Well, the whole thing is a bit more complicated, but more on that later. The film first appears to be a romance, but that's not what it's really about. However, it is not a film about literature either because how much is quoted here? How much does it refer to some significant ideas, such as those from Hemingway's work? There is a hint of the existence of some Shakespeare, but the film definitely does not rely on the fact that it is essential to know who the classics of world literature are, or even literature itself, whether it is completely fictional. We don't learn much about the main character, or rather the main narrator, to be more precise. More: http://www.filmovy-denik.cz/2013/02/the-words-2012-35.html (22/03/2013)

I basically still don’t know what the ending was about and how to understand it. That’s, unfortunately, the only stain on this otherwise very interesting story that got an absolutely perfect movie adaptation. The mysteriousness was leaning towards five stars right from the very start. But then I could neither connect nor separate the three storylines, let alone figure out what’s real and what’s fiction. The premise in itself is exactly what makes the movie so interesting and if someone explains it to me, I’ll be thrilled. I watched this for the Challenge Tour 2015. (09/04/2015)