A Thousand Words (2012)

5.9PG-1391 minDirector: Brian Robbins

2012 American film by Brian Robbins

A Thousand Words is a 2012 American fantasy comedy-drama film directed and produced by Brian Robbins, written by Steve Koren, produced by Nicolas Cage, and starring Eddie Murphy. It was produced by DreamWorks Pictures, Saturn Films, Varsity Pictures and Work After Midnight Films released in theaters by Paramount Pictures on March 9, 2012, four years after it was filmed.

Critics panned the film as formulaic and outdated, and for miscasting Murphy in a mostly silent role. It is currently one of a small number of films with a 0% rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. It was also a box office bomb, grossing just $22 million worldwide on a $40 million budget. As of 2025, it is the last film directed by Robbins, who would move on into a career as a media executive, and was Murphy's last film appearance for four years until Mr. Church (2016).

Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

FAQ

What is A Thousand Words about?
A Thousand Words (2012) — Jack McCall (Eddie Murphy) finds an unusual tree in his yard after an encounter with a spiritual guru. After discovering that with each word he speaks, a leaf drops from the tree, Jack refuses to speak at all, as silence will keep the tree, and him, alive. However, his elective m
Is A Thousand Words based on a true story?
See the production background and source material details on the official Wikipedia article.
Is A Thousand Words scary?
Content rating: PG-13. See the reviews tab for parental guidance and tone notes.
What is A Thousand Words (2012) about? Plot, synopsis and ending explained — Screencodex