Robert De Niro has a brand-new thriller streaming on Netflix right now, and the early reviews are sharply divided on it.
What is The Whisper Man about?
The Whisper Man is based on the 2019 best-selling novel by British author Alex North. Tom Kennedy (Adam Scott), a widowed crime writer, moves back to his hometown with his eight-year-old son Jake just as children begin disappearing. When Jake is abducted, Tom turns to his estranged father, a retired detective played by Robert De Niro, and uncovers a link to a convicted serial killer from decades earlier known as “The Whisper Man.” Michelle Monaghan stars as the detective working the new case.
Who’s in the cast?
| Role | Actor |
|---|---|
| Peter Willis, retired detective | Robert De Niro |
| Tom Kennedy, widowed crime writer | Adam Scott |
| Amanda Beck, detective | Michelle Monaghan |
| Frank, imprisoned serial killer | Michael Keaton |
| Jake Kennedy | Acston Luca Porto |
Rounding out the supporting cast are Hamish Linklater, Owen Teague and Will Brill, per Netflix.
Reviews are split
Critics can’t seem to agree. The Guardian’s Benjamin Lee dismissed it as a “silly Netflix potboiler” and said De Niro “sleepwalks” through his role, while the Los Angeles Times called it a “twisty crime thriller” carried by committed turns from De Niro and Adam Scott. The result lands somewhere in the middle: a diverting streaming thriller rather than an outright must-watch.
Where can I watch it?
The Whisper Man is a Netflix original, directed by James Ashcroft (The Rule of Jenny Pen) and written by Ben Jacoby and Chase Palmer. It’s streaming now on Netflix with a subscription, available in the Philippines, and runs 1 hour 54 minutes with an M rating. It joins a steady run of Netflix originals landing locally, including The Scandal and Call Me Mother.
