Julian Richards’ Silent Cry is a nail-biting, suspense-thriller that will have you at the edge of your seats for the entire duration of the film, and then some.
The story unfolds with the birth of Rachel’s baby at a London hospital. Rachel (Emily Woof) is a single woman who opts to bear her child alone, after a failed relationship. The very moment Rachel holds the healthy newborn in her arms, every bit of apprehension about the future leaves her and she’s ready to begin a new and much happier life.
Rachel’s joy is short lived, however, when the next morning she’s informed that her baby died suddenly in the night, for no apparent reason. Immediately suspecting foul play at the hands of a mysterious man (Clive Russell) she observes in the hospital, Rachel solicits the help of a hospital-aid (Douglas Henshall) with a sketchy past. Very soon the two new friends are catapulted into a black web of deception, murder and mayhem—with little hope of returning sane or in one piece.
For those who love their suspense served up Hitchcock-style, complete with a couple of MacGuffins, Silent Cry is definitely for you. For others, who prefer a mystery with more moments of down time to figure out motivation and plot lines—not so much.
Technically, there are absolutely no flaws in cinematography, overall realism, or acting— though I do feel that the movie’s ending comes upon us way too quickly. I also feel that Simon Lubert’s well-written script is a bit too calculated and defined, at this particular juncture. Perhaps the ending would have been more believable if the film’s conclusion retained the same subtlety as the rest of the story, as well as its ambiguity. These may have been better accomplished with less focus on the screenplay, and more on actor-improvisation.
In addition, the closing song-choice of “The Icicle Melts,” by Irish band The Cranberries, felt way too tacky and over the edge, leaving nothing to the imagination. Sadly, both of these cinematic glitches kept Silent Cry from an otherwise, perfect 5-star rating.
This film was submitted for review through our Submission for Review system. If you have a film you’d like us to see, and we aren’t already looking into it on our own, you too can utilize this service.
