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Eddie Murphy, Kerry Washington, Allison Janney, Cliff Curtis, Clark Duke ... see more see more... , Ruby Dee , Terence Bernie Hines , Emanuel Ragsdale , Kayla Blake , Winston J. Rocha , Bethany Dwyer , Alain Chabat , Lennie Loftin , David Burke , Phil Reeves , Brian Gallivan , Steven M. Gagnon , Katheryn Cain , Eshaya Draper , Darcy Rose Byrnes , Sarah Scott Davis , Justin Robbins , Miles Robbins , Brian Norris , Jill Basey , Greg Collins , Robert Lequang , Michael G. Wilkinson , Lyndsey Nelson , Brad Michael Gilbert , Lou Saliba , John Gatins , Mitchell Fink , Edi Patterson , Emily Burton , Tracy Mulholland , Brad Keimach , Dilip Jha , Jorge Álvarez , Leonard Earl Howze , Jack McBrayer , John Witherspoon , Thierry Segall , Noel Courteblanche , Sara Holden , Jeff Kahn , Matt Winston , Daniel Hepner , Eric Archibald , Philip Pavel , Raquel Bell , Kamala Jones , Kharrison Sweeney , Daniel Saltos , Lauren Schuchman , Ted Kennedy , Jane Bartelme , Skip Richard Crank , Floyd Levine , Bunny Levine

Eddie Murphy is Jack McCall, a fast-talking literary agent, who can close any deal, any time, any way. He has set his sights on New Age guru Dr. Sinja (Cliff Curtis) for his own selfish purposes. But ... read more read more...Dr. Sinja is on to him, and Jack's life comes unglued after a magical Bodhi tree mysteriously appears in his backyard. With every word Jack speaks, a leaf falls from the tree and he realizes that when the last leaf falls, both he and the tree are toast. Words have never failed Jack McCall, but now he's got to stop talking and conjure up some outrageous ways to communicate or he's a goner. -- (C) Paramount

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57% liked it

56,574 ratings

Critics

0% liked it

52 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 31 min.

Directed by: Brian Robbins

Release Date: March 9, 2012

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DVD Release Date: June 26, 2012

Stats: 858 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (858)

  • scottgreen96
    March 25, 2012
    scottgreen96
    A VERY weak return for Eddie, nothing made me laugh and the sift moments were just cringy, and spoilt.
  • fb100001592288964
    March 10, 2012
    fb100001592288964
    One Word: NO
  • illmaticbrown
    April 8, 2012
    illmaticbrown
    This movie was awful. It was so bad that I started to feel uncomfortable watching it. I can not fathom how Eddie Murphy was once an icon of comedic genius. Those years are gone and they may never come again. Every time I see him in a movie, I keep wondering will he ever be funny ... read moreagain? No one laughed for the first thirty minutes because we were all shell-shocked by the thought of Eddie Murphy sucking this much. Please, Mr.Murphy, do another serious movie(Dreamgirls) or actually find a funny script(Judd Apatow).
  • leekyle1968
    April 17, 2012
    leekyle1968
    Ok seeing the reviews of this film would make anyone run for their lives. Mind you i will say that it definatly wasn't worth the price of admission, however it wasn't as bad as some might say either. I have always liked Eddie Murphy, he doesnt make the best movies these days howe... read morever i find his presence alone on screen much like Jim Carrey is sometimes enough. Now let's not put all the blame on Eddie as he doesnt write the script nor does he direct, he just acts his way what he thinks will be a good film at the time.

    This time around Eddie plays Jack, a fast talking literary agent who after signing a new age self help guru named Dr. Sinja (Sinja's claim to fame is he can see through any lie or curse) goes home to find he now has a tree in his back yard that contains 1000 leaves. Jack is all to soon to find out that for every word he now speaks a leaf will fall to the ground, that being said we all know all to well what happens when a tree loses all it's leafs..... (Although the tree in my front yard often loses all it's leafs and never dies????)

    This unfortunate situation leaves Jack having to most carefully choose every word he says which pretty much leaves us, the audience, through the remainder of the film watching, sometimes laughing as Jack tries to deal his way through his career, faltering marriage and life in general without speaking. Now alot of critics from which reviews i have read have panned Murphy's performance in this as his gift of gab so to speak is his comedic claim to fame. I have to differ as quite a few scenes had me in breathless laughter, for eg; the scene where they are spraying pesticide on the tree at home which seems to get Jack high from the fumes as well all which occurs during a very important business meeting and signing.

    If you are a Murphy fan then do yourself a favor and wait for the intital video release of the dvd or you might be angered alone for paying the astronomical theatre fee alone. I say give it a chance it's not that bad!!!
  • cenzano38
    March 14, 2012
    cenzano38
    Of the one thousand ways they could have gone with this movie, director Brian Robbins, who's directed nothing but stinkers, took a script by Steve Koren, who's written a one or two good movies and a number of bad ones, and made it worse than it probably was in the first place. Yo... read moreu can't blame an editor for something like this if you don't give him anything to work with. It's like giving a chef a pile of poop and asking him to turn it into lasagna.

    The cast was good, but not good enough to make this garbage tolerable. Eddie Murphy tried way to hard to make it funny, and only made it worse. I wanted to see Clark Duke in more movies, but now not so much. He was bad.

    I laughed 3 times. Yes, I was so bored I counted to pass the time. The idea was good. The end had a small moment that I liked a lot, but they ruined that as well. Don't bother.
  • jeffreyleppart1
    May 7, 2012
    jeffreyleppart1
    Fans of Eddie Murphy flicks or fans of simply ridiculous comedies in general may take a particular liking to A Thousand Words. A low key yet ultimately entertaining comedy with a familiar formula to please easygoing viewers, Murphy assures us he still is in fine formâ¦or just wan... read morets to keep his name out there.
    Murphy plays Jack McCall, a highly conceited literary agent who cheats and lies his way on a consistent basis, yet seems to be just as successful as the rest of us (if not more so). This all comes back to get him, however when a spiritual guru plants a tree in his back yard which releases a leaf or two with every word he speaks. As the tree becomes barer with every passing day and his words become more limited by the minute, he learns the value of verbal communication and many other values in general. Yet, the timing may not be soon enough as his early death may result when all the leaves have fallen, or so he is told.
    A contrivance from the starting, Murphyâ(TM)s umpteenth comedy of the same genre still may speak out (no pun intended) to his endearing fans and anyone who can relate to this, which should be numerous viewers. Murphy still manages to strike plenty of laughs and his co-stars (particularly Allison Janney) try their best, additionally. Yet despite the good comedy premise, some scenes near the conclusion (particularly when Murphy turns to alcoholism to solve the problem) seem quite out of place and have a surprisingly bleak impact.
    Murphyâ(TM)s true fans may think he has lost his touch and remember him better from the Beverly Hills Cop movies and the Nutty Professor, but he has come up a few notches from Norbit. Judge for Yourself if you are willing to devout the time.
  • ygschuman
    April 7, 2012
    ygschuman
    I liked it. Not a complex story - does it need to be? But an enjoyable way to spend 90 minutes or so. Great comic bursts from Clark Duke. Some people are not ready- emotionally or intellectually - for the journey that Eckhart Tolle or Deepak Chopra are trying to take them on to s... read moreelf discovery. This movie is good for those who can hear that lesson in a more accessible and entertaining way. Ruby Dee's performance was stellar and touching.
  • padgett1702
    April 4, 2012
    padgett1702
    Dear Eddie Murphy, This is the kinda crap we expect from some one that should have stopped doing movies long ago, like Adam Sandler. For a very vocal comic to do a "silent" movie makes as much sense as the worlds most famous whore refraining from the pay per view gang-bang. Pleas... read moree, just stop.
  • fb1074137169
    March 25, 2012
    fb1074137169
    If you can make it past the first 30 minutes of barely passable Eddie Murphy stuff, it has a message and a few kleenex moments. A good one for DVD rental. but you can probably see it by yourself in an empty theater like we did.
  • fb1412583587
    March 15, 2012
    fb1412583587
    Alright after Sneaking into Silent House,I Snuck into A Thousand Words-a Film that The Critic's Hated & has been in The Dreamworks/Paramount Studio Shelf for around 3 Years but around almost 3 Years or you can say 5,with The Duo of Eddie Murphy & Director-Brian Robbins has Never ... read morebeen Good for Murphy's Career from Working on The Box Office Hit but Critically Hated 2007's Norbit & The Box Office Bomb & The Critically Hated 2008's Meet Dave but Somewhere in 2009 & 2010 Eddie Murphy wanted to Reteam with Robbins-Once Again in 2012's A Thousand Word but to Me theres Some Critic's that Hated this Film but to Me,I Think that this Film was Ok since It had some Moments & a Couple of Somewhat Funny One Liners from Clark Duke( Hot Tub Time Machine/Sex Drive)but this is Not a Theatre Worthy Expierance it could of Been a Film that could of Been-Streight to Video or since Dreamworks/Paramount since Now They have The Film Rights for Netflix Streaming it could of Been a Film that could of Went streight to The Netflix Streaming but while After Watching this Film,I can Say THe Jokes were Out Dated from The Brittney Spears Jokes to The Lil Whayne Ring Tone of Lollipop that was from The Carter 3 now we live in 2012 & Did'nt-The Carter 4 was already Released plus Kerry Washington play's Eddie's Wife in The Film-She look's like Eddie Murphy can Play Her Father because Murphy is Getting Old just like His Jokes,He was Good in Tower Heist but Brett Ratner did'nt give Him that much-Screen Time but The Film was Really Good with The Likes of Other Actors like Alan Alda,Ben Stiller & Matthew Broderick.I Think that Murphy should make Another R-rated or NC-17 Concert Film or Wait until Tarantino is Finishing Working on Django Unchained & Work with Him to Revive his Career it Worked for Travolta with Pulp Fiction but I Think Murphy in Concert Film or Murphy teaming with Tarantino would be Great for his Career.Overall I Think that A Thousand Words is The Kinda of Film that You should Wait Until it's On-Cable or Netflix even Bucky Larson plus Jack & Jill were more Funny than this Mess of a Movie.

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Critic Reviews

Roger Moore
March 23, 2012
Roger Moore, McClatchy-Tribune News Service

Murphy, without the words to go along with his bug-eyed double-takes and the mugging, is lost here... He's never been a silent comic, and never will be. Full Review

Frank Scheck
March 9, 2012
Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter

Eddie Murphy should have just said the word "No" to this tired, formulaic comedy. Full Review

Owen Gleiberman
March 9, 2012
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

It makes you want to see Murphy team up with Judd Apatow, or even take on a dead-serious dramatic role - do anything but star in another movie like this one. Full Review

William Goss
March 9, 2012
William Goss, Film.com

Follows directly in the footsteps of Bruce Almighty, Click, Liar Liar, Groundhog Day and any other post-Freaky Friday high-concept redemption story that inevitably crossed Tim Allen and Adam Sandler's... Full Review

Stephen Whitty
March 9, 2012
Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger

What you don't have is a funny movie. Full Review

Liam Lacey
March 9, 2012
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail

The idea of taking one of Hollywood's best-known motor-mouths and reducing him to mugging and charades is definitely novel - and utterly misguided. Full Review

Kyle Smith
March 9, 2012
Kyle Smith, New York Post

Even 2003 Robin Williams would have thunked this script in the fireplace by page 50. Full Review

Mark Jenkins
March 9, 2012
Mark Jenkins, Washington Post

Even when "A Thousand Words" is counseling us to just be quiet and in the moment, it can't just be quiet and in the moment. Full Review

Andy Webster
March 8, 2012
Andy Webster, New York Times

In the simplicity of its premise it embodies the notion of high-concept entertainment. In its execution it demonstrates how technical efficiency can drain the life from a story. Full Review

Justin Chang
March 8, 2012
Justin Chang, Variety

Even Murphy's largely wordless, physically adroit performance can't redeem this tortured exercise in high-concept spiritualist hokum. Full Review

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    • Aaron Wiseberger: Oh my god. Did you find my furry tapes?
    • Jack McCall: [nothing]
    • Jack McCall: I'm Jack McCall you may think this is my vioce but this is my inner voice because if I say one more sentence I die.
    • Jack McCall: You never know when the last time you see someone will be the very last time you see someone.
    • Jack McCall: I forgive you.
    • Jack McCall: I want my baby back baby back baby back, ribs.
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