The infuriating drama The Words does have a story to tell – a young man finds success by publishing a found manuscript as his own, and then the old man who really wrote the novel shows up. But no aspect of this story is left for the audience to figure out.
Take, for example, the initial writing of the novel. We see, in flashback, that a man’s baby dies and his wife leaves; he then bangs out the novel in a paroxysm of angry grief. Thanks to the actors, we understand that’s what is happening. But – just in case that we’re really dim – it is explained to us in voice over narration. In case we don’t know how to feel about this, there is an overbearing score of soap opera music. But wait – this story is a novel within a novel, so the actors playing the exterior story can explain it to us again. Just to make sure that we get it.
The ham-handed storytelling and the overwrought music combine to make The Words corny. The double and triple explanations of the story are just insulting to the audience.
One good thing about The Words – Jeremy Irons’ performance is superb.
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