James Ashcroft’s **THE WHISPER MAN** feels like a collection of suspense thrillers assembled from existing parts. It borrows elements from films such as **THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS**, **BLACK PHONE**, and even Sean Penn's **THE PLEDGE** (2001). Despite featuring an impressive ensemble cast, the narrative unfolds in the gloomy, rain-soaked suburbs of New Jersey, where widower Tom Kennedy (Adam Scott) relocates with his son, Jake. (One wonders if Adam Scott is weary of playing writers after appearing in **HOKUM** earlier this year?) Tom’s already strained relationship with his accomplished but retired detective father, Peter Willis (Robert De Niro), worsens when a previously resolved serial killer case seems to inspire a copycat, and the bodies of young children begin reappearing. Local police officer Amanda Beck (Michelle Monaghan) seeks Willis' assistance in searching for leads as Tom’s son unexpectedly disappears. The film also includes Hamish Linklater, Michael Keaton, and Owen Teague—who, it could be argued, overshadow De Niro, Scott, and Monaghan—but the story ultimately settles into a familiar and rather foreseeable ending that will likely fade quickly from memory. Despite boasting two Academy Award winners, solid performances by Scott and Monaghan, and direction from New Zealand’s Ashcroft (whose **COMING HOME IN THE DARK** was remarkable in 2021), **THE WHISPER MAN** seems unsure of its identity, shifting between a supernatural thriller, a detective story, and a serial killer movie. This lack of focus is perhaps the film's biggest weakness; fortunately, the supporting actors’ efforts prevent it from being entirely without merit.

Source on TMDB