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Don't Tell a Soul 2021

To save their mother’s medical bills, two brothers commit a robbery, but their plans are complicated by a sharp and determined security officer named Hamby. As the brothers face the repercussions of their crime, an unexpected connection develops between Joey and Hamby. However, Hamby harbors secrets of his own that could destroy their newfound understanding and jeopardize everything they have.

To save their mother’s medical bills, two brothers commit a robbery, but their plans are complicated by a sharp and determined security officer named Hamby. As the brothers face the repercussions of their crime, an unexpected connection develops between Joey and Hamby. However, Hamby harbors secrets of his own that could destroy their newfound understanding and jeopardize everything they have.

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

Yes!

Don't Tell a Soul does have end credit scenes. Stay until the very end!

Meet the Full Cast and Actors of Don't Tell a Soul

Explore the complete cast of Don't Tell a Soul, including both lead and supporting actors. Learn who plays each character, discover their past roles and achievements, and find out what makes this ensemble cast stand out in the world of film and television.


Ratings and Reviews for Don't Tell a Soul

See how Don't Tell a Soul is rated across major platforms like IMDb, Metacritic, and TMDb. Compare audience scores and critic reviews to understand where Don't Tell a Soul stands among top-rated movies in its genre.


Echo Score

The Movie Echo Score

69

Overall, Don’t Tell a Soul stands out as a lean thriller that effectively sustains suspense through efficient direction and unexpected twists. The film’s pacing and structured surprises consistently engage viewers, while its minimalistic production design and focused score support a tense atmosphere. Performances contribute intermittent emotional resonance, though character motivations sometimes feel underdeveloped. The narrative payoff provides a satisfying conclusion, despite occasional plausibility issues. In sum, the movie offers a principally engaging experience, balancing thrills and simplicity with modest depth.

The Movie Echo Score Breakdown for Don't Tell a Soul

75
Echo Score

Art & Craft

Art & Craft dimension presents focused direction and purposeful visual choices. Reviewers praised the lean staging and precise framing that sustain momentum, noting the production design’s spare aesthetic and editing that tightens suspense. Occasional plausibility issues and raw textures contribute to a gritty atmosphere without feeling fully polished. This yields a mostly cohesive but occasionally uneven craft presentation.

60
Echo Score

Character & Emotion

When it comes to character depth and emotional resonance, the film offers a compact ensemble but uneven development. Some reviewers appreciated the charged dynamic between the brothers and Rainn Wilson’s unsettling presence. Others found motivations underexplored and moral complexity insufficient, leading to occasional difficulty in empathizing. Overall, the character work is functional but lacks consistently nuanced engagement.

70
Echo Score

Story & Flow

In terms of plot coherence and flow, the narrative delivers a succession of unpredictable twists that maintain engagement. Critics highlighted the film’s brisk pacing and capacity to defy expectations, supported by a lean structure that avoids protracted exposition. The finale was often cited as a satisfying payoff. Ultimately, the story framework is an effective thriller spine with moderate depth.

68
Echo Score

Sensory Experience

Concerning sensory experience, the movie utilizes a restrained soundscape and stark visual palette to cultivate tension. The score underscores key moments with measured intensity, while production design evokes a claustrophobic rural setting. Sound design amplifies ambient creaks and distant echoes, bolstering unease. However, the minimalistic approach occasionally borders on underwhelming, yielding a solid but not immersive sensory profile.

55
Echo Score

Rewatch Factor

Regarding replay value, the film’s compact runtime and twist-driven narrative offer light appeal on subsequent viewings. The central shock elements and dynamic interplay retain some curiosity, but predictability of earlier hints and sparse character arcs limit lasting fascination. As a brief genre piece, it remains entertaining on repeat for specific suspense moments yet lacks deeper layers to reward multiple rewatches.

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 14 fan ratings

Movie Insider

3.82/5

From 11 fan ratings

Take the Ultimate Don't Tell a Soul Movie Quiz

Challenge your knowledge of Don't Tell a Soul with this fun and interactive movie quiz. Test yourself on key plot points, iconic characters, hidden details, and memorable moments to see how well you really know the film.


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 and Ending Explained for Don't Tell a Soul

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Read the complete plot summary of Don't Tell a Soul, including all major events, twists, and the full ending explained in detail. Explore key characters, themes, hidden meanings, and everything you need to understand the story from beginning to end.


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.

Uncover the Details: Timeline, Characters, Themes, and Beyond!

Watch Trailers, Clips & Behind-the-Scenes for Don't Tell a Soul

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Watch official trailers, exclusive clips, cast interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage from Don't Tell a Soul. Dive deeper into the making of the film, its standout moments, and key production insights.


Official Trailer

Cars Featured in Don't Tell a Soul

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Explore all cars featured in Don't Tell a Soul, including their makes, models, scenes they appear in, and their significance to the plot. A must-read for car enthusiasts and movie buffs alike.


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

Don't Tell a Soul Themes and Keywords

Discover the central themes, ideas, and keywords that define the movie’s story, tone, and message. Analyze the film’s deeper meanings, genre influences, and recurring concepts.


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

Don't Tell a Soul Other Names and Titles

Explore the various alternative titles, translations, and other names used for Don't Tell a Soul across different regions and languages. Understand how the film is marketed and recognized worldwide.


Que nadie se entere No le digas a nadie Kimseye Söyleme Frères toxiques 돈 텔 어 소울 别告诉任何人 Никому не говори Segredos Ocultos אל תספר לאף אחד Non dirlo a nessuno 別告訴任何人 لا تخبر أحدًا Не кажи нікому 誰にも言うな อย่าบอกใคร 不要跟別人說

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Other Names for Don't Tell a Soul

Explore the alternate titles, translations, and working names for Don't Tell a Soul. Learn how the film is known in different regions, languages, and releases, and discover the variations that reflect its cultural reach and marketing choices.


Que nadie se entere No le digas a nadie Kimseye Söyleme Frères toxiques 돈 텔 어 소울 别告诉任何人 Никому не говори Segredos Ocultos אל תספר לאף אחד Non dirlo a nessuno 別告訴任何人 لا تخبر أحدًا Не кажи нікому 誰にも言うな อย่าบอกใคร 不要跟別人說

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