# A Thousand Words (film)
*A Thousand Words* is a 2012 American comedy-drama directed by [Brian Robbins](https://www.edgepedia.org/brian-robbins) and starring [Eddie Murphy](https://www.edgepedia.org/eddie-murphy) as [Jack McCall](https://www.edgepedia.org/jack-mccall), a fast-talking literary agent whose life is bound to a magical Bodhi tree that sheds one leaf for every word he speaks; when the last of its 1,000 leaves falls, he dies.[1](https://www.paramount.com/movies/a-thousand-words) Shot in 2008 and shelved for nearly four years, it was released by Paramount Pictures on March 9, 2012 to poor reviews and weak box office results.[2](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-xpm-2012-mar-08-la-et-word-20120308-story.html)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | Wide theatrical release March 9, 2012 by Paramount Pictures; video release June 26, 2012[3](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Thousand-Words-A) |
| Director / writer | Brian Robbins; screenplay by Steve Koren[1](https://www.paramount.com/movies/a-thousand-words) |
| Running time / rating | 91 minutes; MPAA PG-13 for sexual situations including dialogue, language and some drug-related humor[3](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Thousand-Words-A) |
| Principal cast | Eddie Murphy (Jack McCall), Kerry Washington (Caroline McCall), Cliff Curtis (Dr. Sinja), Clark Duke, Allison Janney, Ruby Dee[1](https://www.paramount.com/movies/a-thousand-words) |
| Box office | $18,450,127 domestic, $20,790,486 worldwide against a $40,000,000 production budget[3](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Thousand-Words-A) |
| Critical reception | 0% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer (57 reviews); Metascore 26 on Metacritic (18 critics)[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/a_thousand_words) • [5](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/a-thousand-words/) |
| Producers | Alain Chabat, Stephanie Danan, Nicolas Cage, Norm Golightly, Brian Robbins, Sharla Sumpter Bridgett[1](https://www.paramount.com/movies/a-thousand-words) |
## Spoilers
### Plot
Jack McCall is a literary agent who can close any deal through sheer talk. He targets the [New Age](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-age) guru Dr. Sinja ([Cliff Curtis](https://www.edgepedia.org/cliff-curtis)) for his own selfish purposes, but the doctor sees through him. After Jack stretches the truth in a deal with the guru, a magical Bodhi tree mysteriously appears in his backyard. Every word Jack speaks makes a leaf fall, and when the last leaf drops, both he and the tree die. With 1,000 words left, Jack must stop talking and find other ways to communicate.[3](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Thousand-Words-A) • [1](https://www.paramount.com/movies/a-thousand-words)
The premise forces the famously talkative Murphy into near-total silence, with the character reduced to mime, gestures, and facial expressions as he tries to save his marriage to Caroline ([Kerry Washington](https://www.edgepedia.org/kerry-washington)), care for his family, and salvage his career without speaking.[6](https://www.thewrap.com/thousand-words-review-just-say-no-36084/)
## Production and delayed release
The film was rushed into production to beat a potential strike date and completed filming in 2008.[7](https://bombreport.com/yearly-breakdowns/2012-2/a-thousand-words/) It was one of the last movies made while DreamWorks was a Paramount subsidiary, and it was left with Paramount to market and distribute when the two entities parted ways.[2](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-xpm-2012-mar-08-la-et-word-20120308-story.html)
Paramount moved the release date repeatedly through 2012, postponing the film from January 13 to March 23, then to April 20, before pushing it up to March 9 after *Think Like a Man* claimed the April date.[2](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-xpm-2012-mar-08-la-et-word-20120308-story.html) It went out with minimal publicity support from its star, and analysts expected an opening weekend below $10 million.[2](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-xpm-2012-mar-08-la-et-word-20120308-story.html) A Paramount spokeswoman said the movie cost $40 million, though two people familiar with the production put the price tag at about $70 million.[2](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-xpm-2012-mar-08-la-et-word-20120308-story.html)
## Box office
The film opened sixth with $6,176,280 from 1,890 theaters, about 33.5% of its eventual domestic total, and fell more than 40% in its second weekend.[3](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Thousand-Words-A) It finished with $18,450,127 domestically and $20,790,486 worldwide, roughly half its $40 million production budget.[3](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Thousand-Words-A) [Box Office Mojo](https://www.edgepedia.org/box-office-mojo), counting a larger international figure, lists the worldwide gross as $22,044,277 with DreamWorks as distributor.[8](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl3846342145/) Estimated domestic disc sales added $5,075,879, of which $4,558,328 came from DVD.[3](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Thousand-Words-A)
## Reception
Critical response was strongly negative. Rotten Tomatoes recorded a 0% Tomatometer from 57 reviews, with its critics consensus noting that dated jokes and removing Eddie Murphy's voice, his greatest comedic asset, doomed the film.[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/a_thousand_words) Metacritic assigned a Metascore of 26, "generally unfavorable," based on 18 critic reviews, with no positive reviews, 8 mixed, and 10 negative.[5](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/a-thousand-words/)
Reviewers repeatedly made the same argument: silencing a comedian whose persona is built on fast talk wastes his central gift. Roger Ebert mocked the poster showing Murphy with duct tape over his mouth.[5](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/a-thousand-words/) The Los Angeles Times called it a first-rate talent stuck in a third-rate film, written by Steve Koren and directed by Murphy's frequent collaborator Brian Robbins, whose earlier films with the star include *[Norbit](https://www.edgepedia.org/norbit)* and *Meet Dave*.[9](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-xpm-2012-mar-09-la-et-thousand-words-20120309-40-story.html) The National wrote that the film was hard to recommend even to Murphy's most ardent supporters.[10](https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts/a-thousand-words-hard-to-recommend-even-to-eddie-murphy-fans-1.403553) Some critics found isolated strengths: Variety credited Murphy's largely wordless, physically adroit performance without considering it redeeming, and [The A.V. Club](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-a-v-club) noted that Murphy in subdued mode gave the wretchedly predictable ending a little authentic sweetness.[5](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/a-thousand-words/)
## Versions and availability
The theatrical and home-video cut runs 91 minutes and is rated PG-13 in the United States.[3](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Thousand-Words-A) The Australian Classification Board rated the Blu-ray edition M (mature) with consumer advice of infrequent coarse language, listing a duration of 109 minutes and a classification date of August 27, 2012.[11](https://www.classification.gov.au/titles/thousand-words) The film later became available on digital platforms, including streaming and rental through Apple TV and other services.[12](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/a-thousand-words)
## References
1. [A Thousand Words, Paramount Pictures](https://www.paramount.com/movies/a-thousand-words)
2. [Word of Mouth: Eddie Murphy comedy is dusted off by Paramount, Los Angeles Times (March 8, 2012)](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-xpm-2012-mar-08-la-et-word-20120308-story.html)
3. [A Thousand Words (2012), The Numbers](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Thousand-Words-A)
4. [A Thousand Words, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/a_thousand_words)
5. [A Thousand Words Reviews, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/a-thousand-words/)
6. ['A Thousand Words' Review: The Gag's on Eddie Murphy, TheWrap (March 8, 2012)](https://www.thewrap.com/thousand-words-review-just-say-no-36084/)
7. [A Thousand Words (2012): Shelved for 4 Years, Bomb Report](https://bombreport.com/yearly-breakdowns/2012-2/a-thousand-words/)
8. [A Thousand Words, Box Office Mojo](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl3846342145/)
9. [Movie review: 'A Thousand Words', Los Angeles Times (March 9, 2012)](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-xpm-2012-mar-09-la-et-thousand-words-20120309-40-story.html)
10. [A Thousand Words hard to recommend even to Eddie Murphy fans, The National (March 22, 2012)](https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts/a-thousand-words-hard-to-recommend-even-to-eddie-murphy-fans-1.403553)
11. [A THOUSAND WORDS, Australian Classification](https://www.classification.gov.au/titles/thousand-words)
12. [A Thousand Words streaming, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/a-thousand-words)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Comedy and romantic films (individual works) › Comedies of 2011 to 2012 › Released in 2012*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license