Don't Tell a Soul 2021

In a desperate bid to save their ailing mother, two teenage brothers embark on a reckless heist, only to find themselves entangled with a resourceful security officer, Hamby. As they navigate the treacherous consequences of their actions, Joey and Hamby form an unlikely bond, but Hamby's secrets threaten to upend their fragile alliance and put everything at stake in this gripping thriller.

In a desperate bid to save their ailing mother, two teenage brothers embark on a reckless heist, only to find themselves entangled with a resourceful security officer, Hamby. As they navigate the treacherous consequences of their actions, Joey and Hamby form an unlikely bond, but Hamby's secrets threaten to upend their fragile alliance and put everything at stake in this gripping thriller.

Does Don't Tell a Soul have end credit scenes?

Yes!

Don't Tell a Soul does have end credit scenes.

Ratings

Discover how Don't Tell a Soul is rated on popular platforms like IMDb, Metacritic, and TMDb. Explore audience and critic scores to see how this movie ranks among the best.


Metacritic

45

Metascore

5.6

User Score

Rotten Tomatoes
review

73%

TOMATOMETER

review

58%

User Score

IMDb

5.9 /10

IMDb Rating

TMDB

66

%

User Score

Letterboxd

2.8

From 15 fan ratings

Movie Insider

3.82/5

From 11 fan ratings

Movie Quiz

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Don't Tell a Soul Quiz: Test your knowledge of the thrilling movie 'Don't Tell a Soul'

What prompts Matt to coerce his younger brother Joey into committing a robbery?

Full Plot Summary & Ending Explained

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In a desperate effort to care for their terminally ill mother, 17-year-old Matt (Fionn Whitehead) coerces his 14-year-old brother Joey into participating in a daring robbery at an isolated property undergoing fumigation. Their risky venture takes an unanticipated twist when security guard Dave Hamby (Rainn Wilson) chases them into the woods, only to fall into an abandoned well. As Joey grapples with guilt for leaving the hurt guard behind, Matt is adamant about not helping Dave, fearing he might expose their criminal actions. Yet, Joey secretly brings Dave essential supplies and a makeshift communication device, revealing their strained brotherly bond as Joey becomes uneasy with Matt’s reckless decisions.

Tensions escalate when Matt attempts to assert his authority by urinating on Dave’s incapacitated body, provoking Joey’s furious backlash. This clash hints at darker troubles ahead: Matt decides to spend the stolen money intended for their mother’s care on a lavish motel party, only to further betray Joey by spreading false accusations that he has been stealing from elderly individuals. In retaliation, Joey exposes a chilling secret—Matt’s connection to another man’s death.

As the brothers’ conflict intensifies, Joey runs away, only to be confronted on their mother’s news program with a shocking revelation: the man in the well is none other than Randy Michael Sadler, a notorious fugitive wanted for murdering his family. When Joey returns to the well, he discovers that Randy has survived the pesticide canister’s lethal fumes by wearing a gas mask from earlier in the chase. Randy, claiming he was trying to retrieve stolen money while masquerading as a security guard, offers Joey an unsettling deal—help him out of the well in exchange for vengeance against Matt.

With Randy now hiding in their home, Carol (Mena Suvari), their mother, recognizes her new houseguest from the news, leading to dismay as she realizes Joey is assisting a fugitive. The already complicated dynamics between the brothers worsen as Matt becomes suspicious of Joey’s actions. His paranoia leads him to report Joey to Officer Smith (Richard Fike) and Officer Crane (Abigail Esmena), who are still reeling from the initial vandalism. In a series of revealing missteps, Matt unintentionally exposes his own guilt in the robbery, including his prior knowledge of Randy’s predicament.

The confrontation escalates into a standoff between Matt and Randy, with Joey trying to mediate as the officers find themselves caught in a violent exchange. In a remarkable act of bravery, Joey restrains Randy, allowing both police officers to escape danger. As the story unfolds, Randy takes Joey and Matt into the forest, forcing Matt into the very well that had confined Randy. In a heart-wrenching scene, Randy compels Joey to hurl angry accusations at his brother before cruelly pushing him into the depths of the hole.

Guilt and regret overwhelming him, Matt savagely beats an unconscious Joey in a futile attempt to confront the turmoil that has engulfed their lives. Meanwhile, Carol arrives, gun drawn and focused on Randy. Maintaining composure, she unveils her own troubled history, revealing how she avenged her abusive husband with a bullet.

As the intensity escalates between Carol and Randy, Matt manages to revive Joey, pouring out tearful apologies for his myriad mistakes. In a moment of heartfelt reconciliation, the brothers embrace, while Carol brings the tragic sequence of events to a close, her weapon still trained on Randy’s lifeless figure.

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Official Trailer

Cars Featured in Don't Tell a Soul

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See all cars featured in Don't Tell a Soul, including models, makes, roles, and their on-screen significance.


Chevrolet

1985

C/K-Series

Ford

2000

Crown Victoria

Ford

1994

F-150

Ford

1999

F-Series Super Duty

Honda

1996

Civic

Oldsmobile

1985

Ninety-Eight Regency

Toyota

2005

Avalon

Toyota

2018

Corolla

Volvo

1990

740

Movie Themes & Keywords

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brother brother relationshipsick motherrobberywalkie talkiemother son relationshipwidowed mothertwo brothersteenage boymoral dilemmafalling into a holefalling into a pitstuck in a wellstealing moneywanted criminaldomestic violencelung cancerpovertymoneygas maskwritten by directorsecurity guardtv newstrappedbologna sandwichmotelsuffocated with a plastic bagshot in the chestshot to deathgunstolen moneytheftwellbullyingshot with a gunshootingpolice officer shotserial killercigarette smokingbrother betrays his brotherbrother bullies his brotherolder brother younger brother relationshiptitle spoken by characterhome invasion

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