The Quiet

“Sometimes silence is the best defence you can use to avoid all the ugliness around”

The Quiet, a disturbing drama, tells a story of a mute girl who lost her family and lives with her god parents and their daughter. It goes on to explore the dark secrets of people around her and how they take solace in her dumbness thinking she can’t comprehend the truth, no matter how dark it is.

In films opening shot Camilla belle’s character says, “All I wanted is to be invisible, it was a simple request, it didn’t involve someone else. When I was in a room with another person I felt like I was only half there, When I was in room with two other people I felt like a third of me, when I was in a room with three other people I felt like a quarter of myself. When I was in a place full of people I was nobody” it only explains the lonely state of mind the character is going through. the protagonist’s war with her own internal demons has lead to living a mute life…it was like turning of one off the senses in order to live, in order to combat the crisis life has become. Sometimes a missing sense is a blessing in disguise.

The film has many scenes in dark, under the blue light which basically captures the essence of the film. It also has occasional references to Beethoven through personal character comparisons and makes right use of his piano notes. Through the movie all the characters re-instate how their life is nothing but a suffering.

The film is not for the masses but a selective few who have seen life the way the movie tells. However a lot could have been done with the script. The movie does get pointless at times with certain characters but overall it is a good watch. I wouldn’t reveal much on story as it will spoil it for you.

This film reminded me of a brilliant Iranian film, The Willow tree directed by Majid Majidi. It tells the story of Youssef, a man blinded in a fireworks accident, when eight years old. After an operation he regains his vision, changing his life to devastating ends.