THE UNSAID
US, 2001, and 111 minutes, Colour.
Andy Garcia, Vincent Kartheiser, Trevor Blumas, Chelsea Field, Linda Cardellni, Teri Polo, Brendan Fletcher, Sam Bottoms.
Directed by Tom Mc Loughlin.
The Unsaid is a psychological drama. The title refers to therapy and the difference between what is said and unsaid, body language and personal revelations as well as reticence.
Andy Garcia plays a psychologist who experiences the suicide of his son, blaming himself, and his wife and daughter also blaming him. Three years afterwards, he is separated, living alone, writing books, sometimes giving lectures. At the end of the lecture, a former student, Barbara (Teri Polo) asks his help with a young man about to turn 18 to move from a state institution. At first he refuses but then follows through – the danger being that he identifies the young man with his dead son.
The boy, Tom, is played by Vincent Kartheiser. He has a sad history of his father killing his mother and serving a life sentence.The psychologist works with the boy but there are secrets behind the facade, later visualised for the audience, making Tom a far more complex character. This is also made more difficult when Tom is attracted to the psychologist’s daughter.
The audience sympathy moves between feeling for Tom and repulsion at some of his behaviour, some especially violent behaviour. There is a final, rather American, melodramatic episode including car chase and stand-off with guns.
But, audiences will be saddened by the revelation of the truth about Tom and his mother’s death and the sexualising of the relationship between mother and little boy as well as the psychologist’s son and his having been abused by his own therapist – topics which were to become more openly treated in the years following this film.
1. The title? Therapy, spoken, body language, reticent and restrained?
2. US midwest, the town, homes, school, institutions, industry? The musical score?
3. The prologue, Michael and the interview, expression of secrecy? The later revelations about Tom, his father and the secrets? Michael, Kyle and his secrets?
4. Michael in himself, his work, his family, his son and playing handball, the refusal to go to the concert? Trying to deal with him? Knowing not to pressurise him? The son slamming the door in his face? His daughter, the concert, her performance, enthusiasm, taking the video? Intercutting with Kyle, going to the garage, setting up the car, his suicide? The family returning, anxiety and grief?
5. Three years passing, Michael retired, growing the beard, living alone, his wife blaming him for the death? Writing books? Going to give a lecture, his information, the case study, body language, what is unsaid?
6. Barbara, past student, her request? Tom, the file, his putting it in the wastepaper, his dreams, his son, taking the file out, reading, going to the visit, Tom in the kitchen, the ordinary conversation, tasting the food?
7. Tom, his appearance, almost 18, about to leave the institution? The discussions, interviews, Michael’s visits, Tom’s response? The effect? The effect on Michael?
8. Tom’s story, the flashbacks, his mother and her sexual activity, the visuals of the father arriving home, confronting the mother, killing? The indication of the man escaping? Michael and his visit to Tom’s father, the truth, the father taking the blame for his son? The visual flashback, Tom and his mother, sexual, Tom naked in the cupboard, the police, the photograph?
9. Tom, friends at school, the loner, going to the party, observing, Chloe and her approach, the come on – and his punching her? The later information about her death, the police investigating her murder?
10. Shelley, her living with her mother, studies, contact with her father, keeping her distance, Troy as her boyfriend, at the party, finding him kissing another girl, his protests, the encounter with Tom, his walking her home? Talking about her parents, passing their home, going in, the telling Tom about Kyle? Try attacking Tom, Tom injuring him in the car door, the students applauding?
11. Michael, therapy, interactions, getting Tom to express himself, calling him Kyle? The sharing, ordinary things, hopes for his betterment?
12. Michael, the visit to Tom’s father, finding out the truth about Tom and the killing? Telling Barbara? His being wary?
13. Michael confiding in Tom’s father, Kyle’s secret, the flashbacks, his being abused by the therapist, the therapist as Michael’s friend, his rage after Kyle’s death, confronting the man and his shooting himself?
14. Tom, wanting to get out, hearing about the police? Going to see Barbara, her confronting him, his bashing her? The car, going to pick up Shelley? Shelley and her anger at her parents, going with Tom? The chase, Michael in the car, the crash, the police, Tom with the gun? Michael persuading him to put down the
gun?
15. His surrender, the final sequence, in prison clothes, coming to therapy, asking about Barbara and Shelley? And the prospects for his becoming better?
