Tell No One (Dir: Guillaume Canet)

One of this year's art house hits, "Tell No One" is an expertly constructed thriller hindered somewhat by its exposition heavy climax. Pediatrician Alexandre Beck and his wife are vacationing at a lakeside spot they have shared since they were childhood sweethearts. Beck hears his wife struggling with an attacker and tries to run to her defense, but is knocked unconscious. Beck later learns his wife has been murdered by a serial killer plaguing the area. Eight years later he receives a video of his wife alive and well. Is Beck going crazy? Is someone playing a prank on the doctor? Or is his wife indeed alive?

"Tell No One" is a satisfying mystery that masterfully strings audiences along throughout. It frequently shows characters that we haven't been introduced to yet and demands that we pay attention to what we are seeing. It will all make sense in the end. The movie also features a lengthy, involving chase scene that connects in a way few recent action films do. In these moments, Canet gives the audience a good sense of place, character, and what is it stake. These moments are remarkably tense as a result.

The film, though, is both heightened and hindered by its labyrinthine plotting. The story successfully strings you along with its mysteries, but there is too much to rehash in the final moments. But this is a minor quibble. This is the best thriller I have seen since "The Lives of Others." It is a gripper grounded in character, not explosions. We are invested in the film's outcome because we are invested in the lives of the characters.