De Niro in a Diverting Serial Killer Chiller

Key Points:

• "The Whisper Man," adapted from Steve Mosby's novel written under the pseudonym Alex North, is a 2020s Netflix thriller that offers a serviceable, entertaining crime story reminiscent of 1990s potboilers.
• The film stars Robert De Niro as a retired detective drawn back into a serial-killer case mirroring one he solved decades ago, with Michelle Monaghan as a determined younger cop and Adam Scott as a grief-stricken author and estranged son.
• The plot centers on Tom Kennedy (Scott) and his son Jake, who move to a small New Jersey town where Jake becomes the target of a serial child predator known as The Whisper Man, echoing the crimes of an imprisoned killer named Frank Carter.
• The story explores strained father-son relationships and features a procedural narrative that maintains attention without deep psychological exploration, supported by strong performances from the cast, including a chilling turn by Michael Keaton as the imprisoned killer.
• While De Niro's performance is understated, the film benefits from reliable acting and a conventional but engaging thriller structure, making it a solid addition to the genre on Netflix.