This psychological thriller from 2001 might have received negative reviews from critics, but it’s actually well deserving of a watch now that it’s available on Netflix. Some of the most intense and suspenseful thrillers ever produced are available to watch on Netflix in the United States, including the likes of The Platform, 1922, I’m Thinking of Ending Things, The Perfection, The Woman in the Window, and many more. On October 18, 2025, another, which has come to be considered one of the most underrated thrillers of the 2000s, joined them.
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After a couple years of absence from the streaming platform, Don’t Say a Word, a 2001 thriller written by Anthony Peckham and Patrick Smith Kelly and directed by Gary Fleder, just became available on Netflix once again. On a budget of $50 million, Don’t Say a Word brought in only $100 million, and received negative reviews – it currently has a 23% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes – but don’t judge a book by its cover. After hitting Netflix in 2023, Don’t Say a Word topped the charts, and the same could happen again now that it’s back on the streamer.
Why You Should Watch Don’t Say a Word on Netflix
Don’t Say a Word stars two-time Academy Award-winner Michael Douglas as child psychiatrist Nathan Conrad, who becomes embroiled in a tense gang-based crime thriller when he is tasked with unearthing the whereabouts of a stolen gem from the mind of Brittany Murphy’s troubled Elisabeth Burrows. Despite a cookie-cutter and predictable storyline, Douglas delivers an incredible performance, as always, and Murphy holds up well against her more-experienced co-star. The cast also boasts the likes of Sean Bean, Skye McCole Bartusiak, Famke Janssen, and more.
The idea of an intelligent and skilled man’s daughter being kidnapped as leverage to find missing treasure is one that’s been done in movies time and again. In Don’t Say a Word, however, the chemistry between Douglas and Murphy makes it easy to forget the overdone narrative. There is a huge amount of emotional depth in Don’t Say a Word, but the psychological race against time and engaging dive into the human psyche will give you chills nevertheless. It’s now 24 years old, but it still holds up to this day and has aged remarkably well.
After Michael Douglas’ recent retirement from acting, now is the perfect time to look back at the legendary star’s impressive six-decade-long career. It’s not universally loved, and it certainly has some issues, but Don’t Say a Word is a hugely underrated gem in Douglas’ filmography, so it deserves a watch now that it’s back on Netflix. Don’t Say a Word could reach the number one spot again, almost a quarter of a century after its original release.
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Image courtesy of Focus Features.
