Speak (2004)

• Year: 2004
• Released: 20 Jan 2004
• Country: United States
• Adwords: 2 wins & 2 nominations
• IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0378793/
• Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/Speak
• Available in: 720p, 1080p,
• Language: English
• MPA Rating: PG-13
• Genre: Drama
• Runtime: 89 min
• Writer: Laurie Halse Anderson, Jessica Sharzer, Annie Young Frisbie
• Director: Jessica Sharzer
• Cast: Kristen Stewart, Elizabeth Perkins, Richard Hagerman
• Keywords: woman director, based on novel or book, high school, rape, trauma,

	7.2/10
	80% – Critics
	78% – Audience

Speak Storyline

The young adolescent Melinda Sordino arrives at high school feeling confused, depressed and alone. Her school peers call her “squealer”, because she alerted the police during a summer party after she was sexually assaulted by Andy Evans. She refuses to tell anyone the events that took place. Her depression and distance from people is made worse by the increasingly large gap between her and her parents. She finds great support with her art teacher Mr. Freeman and her school friend David Petrakis. Her feelings threaten to engulf her but Melinda learns to grow from her experiences instead of repressing the past emotions that have scarred her for the rest of her life.

Speak Play trailer

Speak Photos

Speak Torrents Download

Speak Subtitles Download

Speak Movie Reviews

Stewart terrific in better-than-most Lifetime movie

It’s the first day of school and Melinda Sordino (Kristen Stewart) arrives as a quiet depressed loner. Her old friends like Rachel (Hallee Hirsh) have abandoned her. There was a traumatic event at a summer party that is shown in recurring flashbacks and she is haunted by Andy Evans. She bullied as the Squealor. The only girl talking to her now is peppy new girl Heather. Mr. Neck is the intolerant teacher. Mr. Freeman (Steve Zahn) is her kind art teacher. Her parents (Elizabeth Perkins, D.B. Sweeney) are clueless. Agitator Dave Petrakis is assigned to be her lab partner.

Kristen Stewart is terrific. She makes this not just simply another Lifetime TV teen rape drama. I love the title which is almost a plead for Melinda to speak up. It’s the constant refrain at the back of my head throughout this movie. It creates intensity as the audience roots for her to speak up. A couple scenes do hold it back a little. Mr. Neck is pushed too far in one scene where he’s almost a cartoon villain. I also think Melinda was a bit too mean to Heather in that one scene. Heather wasn’t wrong when she tells her to talk to a professional. She also stuck with her a lot longer than most people would. Other than talking too much, she seems to be a good friend. Also a couple of times, the movie takes on too light of a tone. Overall, this is a compelling teen movie with a great central performance.

Heartbreaking Coming-to-age Story

The teenager Melinda Sordino (Kristen Stewart) joins the high-school with a great feeling of rejection and becomes practically mute. Her school mates and friends call her “squealer”, because she called the police during a summer party; she does not have communication with her mother, Joyce Sordino (Elizabeth Perkins), who is workaholic and is permanently busy; and she has problem with a very radical teacher. She finds a great support with her arts teacher Mr. Freeman (Steve Zahn) and her school friend David Petrakis (Michael Angarano), and recalls her traumatic experience in the summer school, when she was raped, learning how to deal with the situation and reborn mature.

“Speak” is a very simple and linear story, and even in the trailer the predictable trauma of Melinda is disclosed; therefore there are no surprises, plot point or mystery to have a twist in the story. What makes “Speak” a little gem and so special are the realistic story, the excellent direction and the stunning performances, mainly of Kristen Stewart in the role of the traumatized Melinda, learning how to deal with her rape and later rejection by the mates by herself. Steve Zahn is also great in a mature role (I believe this is the first time I see him in this type of character) of a supportive school teacher. The nominations and award of the sensitive director Jessica Sharzer are very fair, but I believe Kristen Stewart deserved also a nomination for her brilliant and awesome performance. I would like to recommend this movie for parents of teenagers. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): “O Silêncio de Melinda” (“The Silence of Melinda”)

Silence

It is not always easy to speak out or to tell ones story. Especially when it is one, that goes contrary to something or someone popular. While I usually don’t read what movies are about, I had a glimpse at the summary, which was quite spoiler heavy. Because while you will figure out what “bugs” Kristen Stewarts character in this, it is worth going that journey with her, not knowing.

So while the movie is more than decent more of the time, towards the end a couple of cliches do find their way in. Still a powerful movie, with a powerful, while very subtle main performance. And almost an audition tape for the Twilight movies (her character here is more fleshed out, if you’ll excuse the pun). The theme of the movie is not one that is about feel good, this is a drama after all, but hopefully you can take something away from this. And hopefully the notion of things happening here, will be just a thing of the past …