France is renowned for its films. Maybe more so for the powerful themes of love and relationships in their movies. Tell No One embraces those themes then throws them in a blender with a good murder mystery and tense action sequences to create a compelling adventure that places regular, every-day people in unusual, and often difficult, situations.

Pediatrician Alexandre Beck (François Cluzet) mourns his wife Margot Beck (Marie-Josée Croze), who was murdered eight years earlier at their family’s private lake. When two bodies are discovered near the secluded murder site, the police reopen the investigation into Margot’s case with Alexandre himself implicated again as the prime suspect. He struggles with the possibility that Margot is still alive after receiving anonymous e-mails with live video that may or may not be her with a message to “Tell no one. We’re being watched.”

The pacing of this film is only just shy of brilliant. The relatively slow build at the beginning increases at the same rate as the tensions of the main character inviting you to take on a good portion of that tension yourself. As the story unfolds you find yourself being sucked in, leaning toward the screen, and it’s not just to read the subtitles.

There are a couple of scenes that throw the pacing off a bit. On occasion you may wonder why Alexandre has done something odd or gone somewhere that doesn’t make sense like parking on the side of the road, running deep into, and flailing about in the woods. It could be an attempt to reflect his inner turmoil but it kills the momentum and makes the scene shifts feel stiff and disjointed. 

The direction behind the cinematography is well done. The shots are all perfectly framed and tell the story with great efficiency. Uses of light to create atmosphere is handled with expert care.

Unfortunately, the fact this is shot digitally is painfully obvious but that may be due to the digital transfer. Hopefully the theater presentation will be of better quality.

It can be difficult to examine the acting in a foreign language film accurately. Without knowing the language, picking up the proper inflections that convey emotion can be difficult or even impossible. That said, François Cluzet may just be the French equivalent of Dustin Hoffman. He maintains a considerably low-key demeanor throughout the film yet is intense and bursting with emotion when it is called for. The rest of the cast is equally well suited for their roles and deliver talented performances, whether large or small.

The best part of this film is the complexity of the story. It doesn’t spell out every little detail and it challenges you to think right up to the final shot.  From scene to scene, this movie keeps you guessing where the story is headed. It takes predictability and tosses it out the window. Something many American films could learn from.

If you’re suffering from the sugar-shock of summer blockbusters this flick will be a refreshing change. Catch Tell No One this weekend. It starts Friday at the Westhampton Theater.

Verdict | Watch It!