"We all make our choices in life, the hard thing to do is live with them."
Renowned author Clay Hammond (Quaid) reads from his new book, "The Words," about an aspiring writer named Rory Jansen (Cooper). Rory is having a hard time getting his novel published, so he takes a job as a literary agent. Later, Rory marries his longtime girlfriend Dora (Saldana). Dora gives him an old briefcase, which contains an old manuscript.
The manuscript changes his life. It gets him fame and gives the opportunity for his other novels to be published. But fame comes with a price when the real author (Irons) pays Rory a visit.
The trailer did not seem interesting, so I didn't have concrete plans to see this film. But a friend recommended it, so I gave it a chance. The story is hard to explain because it is a story within a story within a story. Confused? It is difficult to explain the film without sharing all the secrets of the plot. There are 3 stories, each with a male writer leading the narrative: Dennis Quaid, Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Irons / Ben Barnes. Quaid opens and closes the film as the narrator. He sets the stage and justifies the actions of the other characters. Olivia Wilde is Daniella, the college student asking questions about the novel. They are the best kept secret in the film... I didn't even know they were in it. Cooper carries the story and is the face of the film. He is charming and has great chemistry with Zoe Saldana. Irons is menacing and heartbreaking in his interactions with Cooper. And he narrates the final story, which stars a mostly silent Ben Barnes.
The film is intricate and intriguing. It is unexpected and won't appeal to everyone, but it is still worth a look.
The Words (2012) 97 minutes
Rated: PG-13 for brief strong language and smoking
Director: Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal
Starring: Bradley Cooper as Rory Jansen
Dennis Quaid as Clay Hammond
Jeremy Irons as The Old Man
Zoe Saldana as Dora
Ben Barnes as The Young Man
Olivia Wilde as Daniella
Nora Arnezeder as Celia
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