Netflix’s The Whisper Man, a crime thriller starring Robert De Niro, has received a mixed early critical response, holding 41% on Rotten Tomatoes from 29 reviews. The result matters because the film pairs De Niro with a serial-killer story and family drama, but has so far failed to win broad critical approval.

Based on Alex North’s novel, it follows Detective Pete Willis as a suspected copycat killer emerges and his grandson disappears, forcing him to revisit a case from 15 years earlier. Adam Scott plays Pete’s estranged son Tom, while Michelle Monaghan co-stars as Detective Amanda Beck; no audience score has yet been registered, so its reception may still change.