Then one scene, very close to the end, is intentionally filmed in a way that obfuscates the action, with just the dialogue and sound meant to carry one through the moment. This does not work one bit and makes for a confusing 30-seconds, or however long it lasted. That, coupled with a lack of understanding of Father’s motivations, hurts the motion picture’s intended emotional impact. See, Anna and Beth are wonderfully fleshed out— and astoundingly acted by Waker and Glackin— but he is left vague. His subplot, if it can be called that, with a lady in town he gets involved with sometimes goes nowhere, only there to reach one particular shot at the end. But that could have been served by any member of the town, so this is just an odd diversion.
But, despite these issues, Silence & Darkness is worth a recommendation. For starters, as briefly mentioned, Walker and Glackin are perfect as the blind and deaf sisters. Their love for each other, and their little slice of life, is never in question, and when things take a turn for the worse, their heartache is palpable. In his first scene, arriving home from work on his birthday, Lage plays the role of caring father well and seamlessly switches to a cold, detached, creepy vibe as the film wears on.
“…Walker and Glackin are perfect…”
Then aside from the too-dark moments, Barkan directs with confidence. He loads his movie with long, wide shots, courtesy of director of photography Omar Nasr, silently observing the sisters as they work together to fill each other’s gaps. It is striking to look at and matches the emotional struggles of Anna and Beth quite well. The minimalist dialogue is also quite snappy at times, with a tense dinner exchange being genuinely riveting.
Silence & Darkness is not perfect, and those seeking definitive answers about everything going on will be left severely disappointed. But for those who want a mindful meditation on decaying mental health, parenting, and the bonds of sisterhood will be rewarded with an excellent looking movie anchored by truly outstanding performances; just be patient.
"…a drama with Hitchcockian overtones."
