Here’s the difference between a good movie and a very good movie.
A good movie demands that you know almost nothing about it when you sit down to watch. By keeping you in the dark, it makes you guess. It surprises you. It keeps you looking left, and right, and then the ride is over and you go “That was awesome!”
But like a roller coaster, the second time is never as good. The third time less so. And after that, ennui sets in.
A very good film doesn’t require surprise. A friend can walk out of the theater and tell you everything you’re going to see. Then, you can walk in and the film still will be just as entertaining as it would have if you went in blind.
This film is a very good film, and that’s a good thing, because any synopsis written about it will give away exactly what you’re going to see. I knew exactly what was coming, and ten minutes after watching the movie, I felt like I had eaten a handful of NoDoz.
“Quiet” tells the story of Lindsey, a girl who has recently lost her hearing. She’s frustrated by the way people treat her, she’s frustrated by a persistent ringing in her ears, and she’s frustrated by her inability to learn sign language.
And then an intruder attacks her in her own home.
What sets this movie apart from the conventional stalk-n-slash short is the sound mix. We hear what Lindsey hears, or rather, doesn’t hear. When people talk to Lindsey, all we can hear are their muffled voices, and we watch lips closely. When her ears ring, our ears ring.
And when she’s trapped in a bathroom, unsure which door her attacker is behind, unsure if the attacker is even in the house any more – well, it’s adrenaline-shot intense.
My only complaint is that the film takes just a little too long to get to this point. The slower setup and longer introduction to Lindsay’s problems obviously give the audience time to care about the character, while granting them the opportunity to adjust to the experience of being “deaf.” For the most part, it works. But shaving a minute or two off the first half of the film wouldn’t be remiss..
However, this is the most minor of minor complaints, and in the rush of the final minutes of the movie, all was more than forgiven.
And trust me – skip the caffeinated beverage when you watch this.
