The Unsaid
Encyclopedia
The Unsaid is a 2001 thriller/drama film directed by Tom McLoughlin
and starring Andy García
that was released in 2001. It is also known under the name The Ties That Bind and its working title Sins of the Father. The film was released straight to DVD in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada but premiered in theaters in other parts of Europe
and Asia
.
The film follows Michael Hunter's (Andy García
) struggle to cope with his son's suicide
and his attempt to rehabilitate Thomas Caffey (Vincent Kartheiser
), who reminds him of his own son.
) and his wife are watching their daughter Shelly's school play. Their son Kyle, who is suffering from depression
, stays at home, because he can not stand being around people. While the parents are applauding Shelly, Kyle commits suicide
in the family's garage.
Several years later the family has fallen apart because of their loss. Michael retreats, writes books and holds speeches for students at his alma mater, but he no longer treats patients. When his former student Barbara Wagner approaches him asking for help with a case, he initially refuses, but then gives in to taking over the case of 17-year-old Thomas "Tommy" Caffey (Vincent Kartheiser
), who witnessed his father murder his mother. It is Michael's job to decide if the teenager can leave the psychiatric facility when he turns 18. But while working with Tommy, Michael realizes how much the boy reminds him of his own son, and begins to relive his guilt.
In flashbacks and conversations the viewer receives background information of Kyle's suicide. Michael sent his son to a therapist, his old friend Harry Quinlan, instead of taking medication. In his son's suicide letter Michael finds out that Quinlan had molested him. When Michael goes to confront Quinlan, he doesn't answer the door. From the back door, Michael then sees Quinlan holding a gun to his own head; he angrily goads Quinlan into pulling the trigger, and Quinlan commits suicide
.
Tommy rebuffs a girl at a party because she wants to have sex with him. At the same party Tommy befriends Shelly and they get closer. Shelly tells Tommy about Kyle. From then on Tommy uses the information in therapy sessions and manipulates Michael, who more and more sees his own son in him.
When Michael visits Tommy's father in prison, he finds out that Tommy had an incest
uous relationship with his mother; Tommy's father had beat her to death after walking in on the two of them having sex.
In the last part of the movie Tommy tries to make Barbara release. When she refuses, he breaks into her apartment through a glass door and knocks her out. He flees with a stolen car and armed with a weapon he picks up Shelly from her mother's house and speeds off with her. Michael finds the severely wounded Barbara in her apartment and follows Tommy. The boy's flight comes to an end at the train tracks. Michael confronts Tommy with what his mother did to him, and Tommy surrenders. When a train approaches Tommy tears loose from Michael's embrace and runs onto the tracks, only for Michael to save him at the last second.
In the closing scene Michael and Tommy light-heartedly play ball at the institution.
, 2001
Tom McLoughlin
Tom McLoughlin is an American screenwriter, film/television director and former mime whose credits include numerous television movies, such as Murder in Greenwich, the feature film Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives and the 2009 Lifetime Movie Network film The Wronged Man.In 1977 McLoughlin was...
and starring Andy García
Andy García
Andrés Arturo García Menéndez , professionally known as Andy García, is a Cuban American actor. He became known in the late 1980s and 1990s, having appeared in several successful Hollywood films, including The Godfather: Part III, The Untouchables, Internal Affairs and When a Man Loves a Woman...
that was released in 2001. It is also known under the name The Ties That Bind and its working title Sins of the Father. The film was released straight to DVD in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada but premiered in theaters in other parts of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
.
The film follows Michael Hunter's (Andy García
Andy García
Andrés Arturo García Menéndez , professionally known as Andy García, is a Cuban American actor. He became known in the late 1980s and 1990s, having appeared in several successful Hollywood films, including The Godfather: Part III, The Untouchables, Internal Affairs and When a Man Loves a Woman...
) struggle to cope with his son's suicide
Charcoal-burning suicide
-Mechanism of action:As the charcoal burns, the oxygen in the air of the room is gradually exhausted. The incomplete combustion of carbon produces carbon monoxide which binds strongly to hemoglobin, rapidly decreasing the ability of blood to deliver oxygen to the body...
and his attempt to rehabilitate Thomas Caffey (Vincent Kartheiser
Vincent Kartheiser
Vincent Paul Kartheiser is an American actor known for playing Connor in Angel and Pete Campbell in Mad Men.-Early life:Kartheiser was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the son of Janet Marie and James Ralph Kartheiser...
), who reminds him of his own son.
Plot
Psychiatrist Michael Hunter (Andy GarcíaAndy García
Andrés Arturo García Menéndez , professionally known as Andy García, is a Cuban American actor. He became known in the late 1980s and 1990s, having appeared in several successful Hollywood films, including The Godfather: Part III, The Untouchables, Internal Affairs and When a Man Loves a Woman...
) and his wife are watching their daughter Shelly's school play. Their son Kyle, who is suffering from depression
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
, stays at home, because he can not stand being around people. While the parents are applauding Shelly, Kyle commits suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
in the family's garage.
Several years later the family has fallen apart because of their loss. Michael retreats, writes books and holds speeches for students at his alma mater, but he no longer treats patients. When his former student Barbara Wagner approaches him asking for help with a case, he initially refuses, but then gives in to taking over the case of 17-year-old Thomas "Tommy" Caffey (Vincent Kartheiser
Vincent Kartheiser
Vincent Paul Kartheiser is an American actor known for playing Connor in Angel and Pete Campbell in Mad Men.-Early life:Kartheiser was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the son of Janet Marie and James Ralph Kartheiser...
), who witnessed his father murder his mother. It is Michael's job to decide if the teenager can leave the psychiatric facility when he turns 18. But while working with Tommy, Michael realizes how much the boy reminds him of his own son, and begins to relive his guilt.
In flashbacks and conversations the viewer receives background information of Kyle's suicide. Michael sent his son to a therapist, his old friend Harry Quinlan, instead of taking medication. In his son's suicide letter Michael finds out that Quinlan had molested him. When Michael goes to confront Quinlan, he doesn't answer the door. From the back door, Michael then sees Quinlan holding a gun to his own head; he angrily goads Quinlan into pulling the trigger, and Quinlan commits suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
.
Tommy rebuffs a girl at a party because she wants to have sex with him. At the same party Tommy befriends Shelly and they get closer. Shelly tells Tommy about Kyle. From then on Tommy uses the information in therapy sessions and manipulates Michael, who more and more sees his own son in him.
When Michael visits Tommy's father in prison, he finds out that Tommy had an incest
Incest
Incest is sexual intercourse between close relatives that is usually illegal in the jurisdiction where it takes place and/or is conventionally considered a taboo. The term may apply to sexual activities between: individuals of close "blood relationship"; members of the same household; step...
uous relationship with his mother; Tommy's father had beat her to death after walking in on the two of them having sex.
In the last part of the movie Tommy tries to make Barbara release. When she refuses, he breaks into her apartment through a glass door and knocks her out. He flees with a stolen car and armed with a weapon he picks up Shelly from her mother's house and speeds off with her. Michael finds the severely wounded Barbara in her apartment and follows Tommy. The boy's flight comes to an end at the train tracks. Michael confronts Tommy with what his mother did to him, and Tommy surrenders. When a train approaches Tommy tears loose from Michael's embrace and runs onto the tracks, only for Michael to save him at the last second.
In the closing scene Michael and Tommy light-heartedly play ball at the institution.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Andy García Andy García Andrés Arturo García Menéndez , professionally known as Andy García, is a Cuban American actor. He became known in the late 1980s and 1990s, having appeared in several successful Hollywood films, including The Godfather: Part III, The Untouchables, Internal Affairs and When a Man Loves a Woman... |
Michael Hunter |
| Vincent Kartheiser Vincent Kartheiser Vincent Paul Kartheiser is an American actor known for playing Connor in Angel and Pete Campbell in Mad Men.-Early life:Kartheiser was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the son of Janet Marie and James Ralph Kartheiser... |
Thomas Caffey |
| Linda Cardellini Linda Cardellini Linda Edna Cardellini is an American television and film actress. She is best known for her roles as high school student Lindsay Weir on Freaks and Geeks, as Velma Dinkley in the live-action Scooby-Doo films, and as Samantha Taggart on ER.- Early life :Cardellini was born in Redwood City,... |
Shelly Hunter |
| Chelsea Field Chelsea Field Chelsea Field is an American actress. She played Teela in the 1987 film adaptation of Masters of the Universe. In a break from tradition and He-Man canon, she portrayed Teela as a brunette character wearing a full costume with pants and sleeves.- Personal life :Field has been married to actor... |
Penny Hunter |
| Teri Polo Teri Polo Theresa Elizabeth "Teri" Polo is an American actress known for her role of Pam Focker in the movie Meet the Parents and its two sequels, Meet the Fockers and Little Fockers... |
Barbara Wagner |
| Sam Bottoms Sam Bottoms Samuel John "Sam" Bottoms was an American actor and producer.-Personal life:Bottoms was born in Santa Barbara, California, the third son of James "Bud" Bottoms and Betty , both of whom survive him... |
Mr. Joseph Caffey |
| Brendan Fletcher Brendan Fletcher Brendan Fletcher is a Canadian actor.-Life and career:Fletcher was born in Comox Valley, British Columbia and went to junior high school at Lake Trail in Courtenay, British Columbia.... |
Troy Pasternak |
| August Schellenberg August Schellenberg August Schellenberg is a Canadian actor. His ethnicity is Mohawk and Swiss-German. He was trained at the National Theatre School of Canada.His first film was Rip-Off in 1971. In 1981, he did voices for the animated film Heavy Metal... |
Det. Hannah |
| Trevor Blumas Trevor Blumas Trevor Blumas is a Canadian television and film actor and singer-songwriter.-Early life and career:Blumas was born in London, Ontario, Canada. Trevor Blumas went to school at the Lester B. Pearson School for the Arts, studying drama, music, dance, and art... |
Kyle Hunter |
Awards
International Film Festival of MarrakechInternational Film Festival of Marrakech
The International Film Festival of Marrakech is an international film festival held annually in Marrakech, Morocco.-Overview:Since its inaugural year in 2000, the FIFM has been one of the biggest events devoted to Moroccan cinema...
, 2001
- Won Audience Award - Tom McLoughlin
- Nominated Golden Star - Tom McLoughlin