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Netflix is, as soon as once more, respiration new life right into a largely forgotten film from yesteryear. The film in query is “Do not Say a Phrase.” Do not fret if that title alone raised an eyebrow, as this is not precisely an early 2000s cinematic basic, all due respect. All the identical, the thriller is discovering a large viewers on the steamer as we head into the Halloween season.
Starring Michael Douglas (“Fundamental Intuition”) and the late Brittany Murphy (“Uptown Women”), director Gary Fleder’s 2001 thriller “Do not Say a Phrase” is at the moment trending in Netflix’s high 10 most-watched film charts. The movie is at the moment sitting within the quantity 5 spot, simply behind this 12 months’s “I Know What You Did Final Summer time” reboot and simply forward of the animated film “The Twits.”
For individuals who is probably not acquainted, the movie facilities on criminal Patrick Koster (Sean Bean) and his companion, who seize younger Jessie Conrad (Skye McCole Bartusiak), holding her at ransom from Jessie’s therapist father, Nathan (Michael Douglas). They do not need cash, nonetheless. As an alternative, they need him to coax a traumatized teen named Elisabeth (Brittany Murphy) into revealing a mysterious code quantity that may cause them to a hidden jewel value a fortune. The twist? She hasn’t spoken in 10 years. Let the video games start.
The movie got here at a novel time as Murphy was reaching the heights of her star energy earlier than her premature passing on the age of 32 in 2009. It was additionally kind of close to the tip of a really unbelievable run by Douglas, with the actor ascending to the highest of Hollywood’s A-list within the ’80s with gigantic hits like “Deadly Attraction.” On the time of its launch, the high-concept thrill experience wasn’t a giant success, taking in $100 million on the field workplace in opposition to a $50 million funds. Critics of the day additionally weren’t significantly variety to it.
Do not Say a Phrase is the most recent forgotten film to search out new life on Netflix
It was a type of films that simply kind of got here and went in its day, did not work out fairly in addition to Fox had hoped, but additionally arrived in the course of the period when DVD gross sales and cable may function a security internet to make sure a given film would make cash. In any occasion, it is clear that the mix of stars and an attractively intriguing premise has allowed this oft-forgotten early 2000s launch to thrive 24 years later.
What’s fascinating is that this kind of factor appears to be occurring continually on Netflix. 2004’s “After the Sundown” just lately discovered nice success on the streamer greater than 20 years after it flopped in theaters. Even now, the highest 10 contains films like 2015’s “Trip” and “The A-Staff.” There are numerous examples, nevertheless it’s an fascinating phenomenon.
For no matter motive, whilst Netflix continues to pour untold billions into unique films, many of those comparatively unremarkable “film for a film’s sake” films wind up dominating the streaming service’s charts. All of the whereas, huge unique blockbusters like “The Electrical State” flop as right here at this time, gone tomorrow curiosities with no cultural endurance. For as a lot as Netflix has managed to disrupt Hollywood, customers nonetheless appear to search out loads of consolation in acquainted films that have been launched in theaters, even when they weren’t hits of their day.
It could additionally communicate volumes about generational nostalgia that individuals of a sure age have for Murphy, who starred in teen classics like “Clueless” in addition to “Lady, Interrupted,” amongst others. Both means, it is simply the most recent instance of Netflix unintentionally shining a lightweight on a chunk of cinema that, prior to now, felt prefer it would possibly as nicely have been misplaced to time.
You may also seize “Do not Say a Phrase” on DVD from Amazon.
