The Silent Partner

Directed by Daryl Duke, The Silent Partner follows mild-mannered bank teller Miles Cullen (Elliott Gould) as he becomes the target of a vicious criminal (Christopher Plummer’s Harry Reikle) after he steals some money from his employer. Filmmaker Duke, working from Curtis Hanson’s screenplay, delivers a deliberately-paced thriller that grows more and more absorbing as time progresses, as the movie, which makes irresistible use out of real-life Toronto locations, benefits from an unpredictable, twist-laden narrative that’s bursting with standout sequences and set-pieces – with, especially, the picture’s second half boasting an impressive number of almost astonishingly unexpected developments. (This is particularly true of a jaw-droppingly brutal third-act death scene.) It’s clear, too, that The Silent Partner‘s success is due in no small part to the tremendously effective efforts of its various performers, as Gould’s low-key yet mesmerizing turn as the sympathetic, compelling central character anchors the film from start to finish – although, by that same token, there’s little doubt that Plummer’s remarkably menacing work remains an ongoing highlight within the proceedings. By the time the exciting, completely satisfying finale rolls around, The Silent Partner has cemented its place as an above-average endeavor that’s far from the sedate ’70s caper one might’ve initially anticipated.

***1/2 out of ****