Tom Kennedy (Adam Scott), still mourning the death of his wife, decides to move back to Garretton, his wife’s hometown. He’s concerned about his son, Jake (Acston Luca Porto), who misses his mother and keeps talking to a little girl that no one else can see. Tom should have done more research on Zillow. The home was once inhabited by a recluse that locals believe may have been abducting and killing children. Tom hasn’t even unpacked when police are searching for the latest victim, Neil Spencer. 

There’s a Whisper Man rhyme (of course there is!) and one night Tom catches Jake standing at the front door, repeating the poem. A hand wearing a blue latex glove, pokes through the letter box, but when Tom races outside, there’s no one there. 

(L-R) Acston Luca Porto as Jake Kennedy and Adam Scott as Tom Kennedy in The Whisper Man. Cr. David Lee/Netflix © 2026

The basement is perhaps the creepiest place in the house and Tom finally gets up the nerve to investigate. He’s shocked when he sees a man who quickly flees. It’s all too much, and Tom hits the bottle. When Jake says his imaginary friend is afraid of “the boy in the floor,” Tom lashes out, telling his son to grow up. The next day, he’ll regret those words when Jake goes missing.

Garrett Detective Amanda Beck (Michelle Monaghan), who has been investigating the missing boys, discovered the body of one, a shirt wrapped around his head. It’s not Neil Spencer. And now Beck has yet another boy to search for.

While the media is calling this killer, The Whisper Man, the real Whisper Man was found and arrested in the 1990s by Detective Peter Willis. Frank Carter is still serving time, but Beck and Willis suspect he has someone on the outside picking up where he left off. Frank always whispered to his victims and recorded them, sending the messages to the grieving families. Whoever this copycat killer is, he’s following Frank’s methods to the letter.

(L-R) Adam Scott as Tom Kennedy and Robert De Niro as Peter Willis in The Whisper Man. Cr. David Lee/Netflix © 2026

Willis, it turns out, is Tom’s father. The two have been estranged for decades. Willis, consumed by the job, had little time for his family. Tom hasn’t forgiven his father, but he now needs help. At first Willis refuses to get involved. But when Beck tells him that she needs to interview Carter, and the only one the prisoner will talk with is the detective who put him in jail, he relents. After Neil’s body is discovered, Tom, Amanda, and Peter realize time may be running out to save Jake. 

Based on the novel by Alex North, The Whisper Man was written by Ben Jacoby and Chase Palmer, and directed by James Ashcroft. Kudos to the cinematographer, Peter Deming, the production designer, Anastasia White, and the set decorator, Lisa Scoppa, for creating the dark foreboding setting where danger lurks in every corner. 

Casting director Susanne Scheel has pulled together an all star cast that may be better than the script they were given. They do, however, give it their all, particularly in the many chases and bloody battles. DeNiro, however, is the reason to watch this nearly two hour film. He’s still an actor who can convey a range of feelings with just a raised eyebrow or painful smile. We forget we’re watching DeNiro and feel the anguish and regret experienced by Peter. 

Netflix asked not to reveal the actor playing Carter, so I won’t. (Although it’s all over the internet.) But the scenes when these two Oscar winners go at it are priceless. An acting class in just a few takes.

Top photo: (L-R) Robert De Niro as Peter Willis, Adam Scott as Tom Kennedy and Michelle Monaghan as Amanda Beck in The Whisper Man. Cr. David Lee/Netflix © 2026