Jonathan Melville: Reviews spoiling it for us

WHEN should a film review not be a film review? Or rather, when should a film reviewer try to forget their instincts to explain too much in case they spoil it for the viewer? It’s a problem that just won’t go away.

Could any reviewers of Psycho back in the 1960s have been justified in revealing the film’s killer so that they could properly praise _____ ______? Even though the film is over 50 years old, I still feel uneasy mentioning a certain actor’s name in case some poor soul hasn’t seen one of the greatest thrillers ever made.

Should reviewers of The Sixth Sense back in the 90s (or even today for Blu-ray releases and columns in local newspapers) have mentioned one of the film’s key plot points so that they could better discuss the screenwriter’s intentions and Bruce Willis’ performance?

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There are countless other examples of movies which have major twists, including Ryan Gosling’s upcoming The Place Beyond the Pines.

The drama is out in a few weeks and features Gosling as a stunt bike rider who needs to raise more cash by... well, I’m already starting to say too much.

If you loved Gosling in Drive or Blue Valentine then I urge you to clear your diary for this one. I’d also advise you to avoid reviews. Even my mention of a twist is starting to give too much away, but it’s important to know as little as you can about this one.

Forget I said anything.

As for The Sixth Sense, even though I avoided reviews at the time, the ending was ruined for me by a work colleague who blurted it out over coffee, proving we all have a responsibility to keep spoilers to ourselves.

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