The Words Parent Guide

Rory Jansen (Bradley Cooper) is determined, and it’s a good thing he is. He wants to be a novelist, even though he’s well aware it is a career choice with few job openings and far too many applicants. With his girlfriend Dora (Zoe Saldana) by his side, the would-be author submits dozens of manuscripts from their dumpy New York apartment. The rejection letters pile up and so does the resistance from his father (J.K. Simmons) who has been subsidizing his son’s dream.

Months pass and the tight knit couple decide to tie the knot and honeymoon in Paris. There, in a quaint antique shop, Rory finds a worn leather attaché case that looks like the perfect accessory for a starving writer. But after returning to NYC, he discovers a tattered typewritten manuscript inside, detailing an incredibly powerful story. Wanting to just feel what it would be like to create something so moving, he begins to copy the prose into his computer. This seemingly insignificant decision accidently leads his wife to believe her husband has finally found the creative voice he’s never had. Not wanting to disappoint her by telling her otherwise, Rory completes the plagiaristic process and hands the work into a publishing company where he is employed as a mail clerk.

What ensues after this minor indiscretion becomes the crux of the dilemma in this movie. Rory soon realizes trivializing dishonesty doesn’t keep the consequences small. Nor is making right for a wrong always as easy as offering money. Yet if cash can’t fix an offense, what can? Focusing on this gap in the justice equation, the script examines how redemption and forgiveness factor into the inequalities of life.

This film will undoubtedly be compared to Inception because of the way it is constructed. The main plot is actually a novel written by another author (Dennis Quaid). And, if that isn’t confusing enough, within his tale lies yet another story about another writer and his twist with fate.

Complexity aside, this dialog heavy drama unfolds reasonably well. Parents should expect frequent depictions of smoking during post-WWII period scenes and some brief sensual moments along with the use of infrequent mild profanities, scatological terms and a single sexual expletive. Still, The Words offers a great starting point for a discussion on ethics. The production’s greatest downfall may be its lack of teen appeal—and that’s a tad unfortunate because these words are worth hearing.

About author

Rod Gustafson

Rod Gustafson has worked in various media industries since 1977. He founded Parent Previews in 1993, and today continues to write and broadcast the reviews in newspapers, on radio and (of course) on the Internet. His efforts also include writing and researching media in all its forms and observing how it effects society and culture. He and his wife Donna have four children.