Netflix kicked off the weekend with plenty of new streaming options, but today (Saturday, October 18, 2025), the platform only added a single new movie to its catalogue: 2001’s “Don’t Say a Word.” And while it’s no capital “C” cinema by any means, it did satisfy my craving for a good mystery after the disappointment of Netflix’s latest hit, “The Woman in Cabin 10.”
Now that it’s cracked the Netflix top 10, it makes for a good palate cleanser if, like me, you thought Keira Knightley’s new mystery thriller never quite got its sea legs under it. “Don’t Say a Word” boasts a star-studded cast and twisty narrative that kept me invested until the credits rolled, even if I’m not eager to rewatch it anytime soon.
What is ‘Don’t Say a Word’ about?
Released in 2001, “Don’t Say a Word” stars Michael Douglas as psychiatrist Nathan Conrad, who’s world is turned upside-down after he begins treating a mentally ill young woman named Elisabeth (Brittany Murphy). A thief played by Sean Bean kidnaps his daughter, demanding that he extract information from Elisabeth about a stolen gemstone.
There’s only one problem: Elisabeth hasn’t spoken in 10 years. While he scrambles to communicate through her delusions and pry a code from her memory, it becomes a race against the clock. Meanwhile, his daughter tries to outsmart her kidnappers and a related investigation sends a detective on a collision course with all the chaos. Guy Torry, Jennifer Esposito, Famke Janssen, Skye McCole Bartusiak, and Oliver Platt round out the rest of the cast.
Should you stream ‘Don’t Say a Word’ on Netflix?
Given its 23% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes (and only slightly less-rotten 49% audience score), I was surprised I enjoyed “Don’t Say a Word” as much as I did. It’s a perfectly fine psychological thriller. Nothing ground-breaking, but enjoyable, though definitely the kind of movie that makes more sense the less you think about it.
Some solid pacing and lead performances all around manage to build enough momentum to keep your attention. One thing’s for sure, I walked away from it more satisfied than “The Woman in Cabin 10.” Critics were lukewarm on “Don’t Say a Word” when it first hit theaters in 2001, but it managed to gross $100 million worldwide with just a $50 million budget.
Jane Crowther with the BBC described it as a movie of “few surprises,” but with “a smart script and great casting elevate a pedestrian premise to the status of satisfying thriller.” Meanwhile, Slate called it “a big, noisy mess, with a howler at its center”, and the Washington Post said it was “every bit as predictable, shopworn and unappetizing as its premise suggests”.
So should you stream “Don’t Say a Word” now that it’s on Netflix? I’d answer yes if you’re looking to get lost in a mystery for a couple of hours. Just be sure to keep your expectations in check.
Stream “Don’t Say a Word” on Netflix now.
Follow Tom’s Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!
More from Tom’s Guide