Movie Review: ‘If I Tell You’ Real Family Drama, Secrets Tearing Friendships Apart
This was an excellent film, with fantastic acting and deeply emotional moments. It was quite heartwarming as well, with friendships formed that will last a lifetime.
This is a story about a small town that a human predator moves into and shortly thereafter begins terrorizing some of the residents. The main character is a young boy who finds out a secret that wasn’t what it seemed.
His mother went to a local party where she knew everyone – or thought she did. When she was assaulted and raped at the party, she didn’t tell anyone, except her husband, and she wouldn’t report it. There was a deep shame she experienced that wasn’t warranted. Her assault was obvious and everyone blamed her husband – which was really not very kind to him to allow that to stand. A predator could see that she was easy prey and that she would blame herself. She never thought he would strike again.
Then her friend and neighbor had the same experience as she did a few months later but was left for dead after being raped and beaten. However, still she didn’t tell anyone that it had happened to her first. But sometime around that point, her son finally learns the truth, but he keeps the secret too.
A better title would have been something like “When a monster moves to a small town” or something like that. The whole focus is on what this individual did and what he could continue to do if he wasn’t caught. While it was also about secrets, it wasn’t abundantly clear that it was still being kept from everyone but the family even when it happened to someone else, though it becomes apparent later in the film.
Friendships are broken and new friendships blossom, both in the lives of the kids in the story and of the adults. It can be hard to imagine what it would be like for a kid in this situation, where he can’t really help and the choices don’t belong to him, but the acting is carried very well in this film, particularly by the young star of the story.
The setting for the film is beautiful. There are endless woods to roam in, cliffs and tree houses to play on, and bicycles to ride down pleasant streets with few cars. Really an idyllic place.
This is a highly emotional film and a memorable small town family drama. It is highly recommended and I would give it five stars.
OPENING TODAY IN SELECT THEATERS ACROSS NORTH AMERICA
IF I TELL YOU
Starring Emmy Award-Winning Carol Kane, Rising Talent Etienne Kellici, Allison Miller, Bill Heck, Christopher Jackson, and Carmela Zumbado
BUY TICKETS HERE
Based on the book
Closed Doors by Lisa O’ Donnell
**US Premiere – Woodstock Film Festival 2024**
**Official Selection – Nashville Film Festival 2025**
**Official Selection – Dances With Films New York 2024**
**Official Selection – Port Townsend Film Festival 2025**
**Official Selection – Cedar River Film Festival 2025**
**Official Selection – Nevada City Film Festival 2025**
**Official Selection – Omaha Film Festival 2026**
**Official Selection – Twin Cities Film Festival 2024 – Best Minnesota Feature**
**Official Selection – Ely Film Festival 2025 – Best Director Honors**
**Official Selection – Montreal Women Film Festival – Best Director Honors**
**Official Selection – Zeitgeist Minnesota Film Festival 2025 – Iron Range Award**
Directed by: Tessa Blake
Written by: Jennifer Manocherian, Tessa Blake
Produced by: Erin Mae Miller, Jennifer Manocherian
Starring: Carol Kane (The Princess Bride, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Etienne Kellici (Ready or Not, Murdoch Mysteries), Allison Miller (13 Reasons Why, 17 Again), Bill Heck (The Leftovers, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs), Christopher Jackson (Hamilton, Bull), Carmela Zumbado (You, Power Book IV: Force), Kennedi Butler (True Detective), McKenzie Hays, Tiegen Fryberger, and Zelalem Oestrich
Edited by: Nathan Whiteside
Cinematography by: Carlo Rinaldi
Music by: Valentin Hadjadj
