The Whisper Man Tops Netflix UK Chart

The thriller The Whisper Man is currently the number one film on Netflix in the UK. The movie stars Robert De Niro as retired detective Peter and Michael Keaton as an incarcerated serial killer named Frank Carter.

There is a cultural niche for mid-budget, serviceable thrillers like this one. The article argues such films have long served as unglamorous entertainment, keeping viewers amused on quiet evenings and providing work for actors and filmmakers. They act as palette cleansers between more ambitious projects.

A Throwback to Late-Night TV

The Whisper Man is compared to the kind of middling thrillers that once commonly aired on late-night television. Films like 10 To Midnight with Charles Bronson or The Mean Season with Kurt Russell would appear after the news. These were movies that underperformed at the box office but gained a second life through broadcast, often hooking viewers with basic intrigue despite seldom delivering satisfying conclusions. The piece labels this the "deteriorating late-night movie" phenomenon.

With streaming now dominant, The Whisper Man fills that same role on Netflix. Its plot involves a copycat killer who abducts a young boy named Jake, the son of grieving novelist Tom Kennedy, played by Adam Scott. Detective Beck, portrayed by Michelle Monaghan, leads the investigation. The film is an adaptation of Alex North's 2019 novel, directed by James Ashcroft.

Familiar Thriller Beats

The report states the film relies heavily on well-worn genre tropes. It features wan detectives at crime scenes and a convicted killer with a sinister moniker. A scene where De Niro's character interviews Keaton's incarcerated Frank Carter for information is described as a direct echo of confrontations from Manhunter and The Silence of the Lambs. However, the dialogue is criticized for being blunt and unsubtle.

"For you, mostly it was endings, really, marriage, career, fatherhood, it’s kind of like one long dirge on the road to your grave, right?" the source quotes Keaton's character saying. The article notes that during such exchanges, the reactions from other actors seem to border on "boredom and outright pity."

Despite this, the film generates some suspense. The introduction of Jake's imaginary friend is handled with ambiguity, and a scene where a gloved hand comes through a letterbox is called unsettling. The overall tone and desaturated visuals are compared to Denis Villeneuve's 2013 film Prisoners.

Campy Moments and a Ridiculous End

Where the film's attempts at serious drama falter, it sometimes veers into camp, which the report finds more entertaining. Hamish Linklater is noted for a hammy performance as a collector of serial killer memorabilia, while Owen Teague gives an "eye-rollingly animalistic" turn as another suspect.

The climax is described as "flat-out ridiculous." It hinges on characters failing to investigate obvious evidence and forgetting a home maintenance issue prominently established in the film's first act. The conclusion asks the audience to accept that theoretically smart people would overlook glaring clues.

The Whisper Man is not considered a great thriller. Yet, its success on Netflix UK suggests an enduring audience for this brand of throwback, mid-budget mystery. The article finishes by noting the film's availability for streaming.