SXSW: A Quiet Place

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A family tiptoes barefoot through a deserted city, collecting food and medical supplies before their long walk back home to the family farm. The daughter is deaf but the whole family communicates silently. It is clear that not one sound must be made, not a single sound, even if it is not yet clear why that would be.

In the great style of horror movies, we know soon enough: beasts, monsters or aliens, whatever you call them, they hunt by sound. You’re safe as long as you’re silent – but who can remain truly silent, and for how long? In the year or so since the attacks started MV5BNGRhMWRhNzEtOGM2NC00MGNjLWE2ZTEtMzE0NDk1ZmU5YmYwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzQ0MDUyMzg@._V1_SY1000_SX1500_AL_happening, it’s clear this family was quicker than most to adapt. They appear to be among the only survivors. But even if you can manage to never speak, to never laugh – can you also manage to never knock over a glass of water? To never sneeze? And what about the poor mother, visibly nearing the end of a pregnancy. Can she labour in silence, and what about the newborn – won’t his first act be to cry? In fact, this movie keeps you so on edge I despaired as the mother doled out fish and veggies for dinner. Were the vegetables suitably soft? A particularly crisp cucumber could spell certain death.

You likely heard me bellyaching about having to survive a horror movie for SXSW’s opening night film, but I wanted to do it for Emily Blunt, and her husband\director, John Krasinski. Not because I owe it to them personally, but because neither is known for genre work, so if they’ve made an exception for this, it must be exceptional.

And actually, it is. First because of the silence. There are different kinds of quiet and we experience dozens of them during A Quiet Place. The pregnant silence, the expectant silence, the easy quiet, the calm quiet, the hair-raising, heart-beat elevating, sweat on the backs of your knees silences. And then there’s the daughter’s silence, true silence, the kind that envelops you, comforts you, terrifies you. This is the movie that should be up for Oscars in sound editing next year but probably won’t be.

Second, because of the acting. Emily Blunt is easily phenomenal. Mom characters tend to get short shrift in horror movies but in this case, Blunt gives us patience and strength, real suffering and heartache, an iron will and a tender heart. The kid actors are top-notch too – in fact you’ve already heard me rave about them, Millicent Simmonds in Wonderstruck, and Noah Jupe in Suburbicon. John Krasinski is the first to admit that he learned a lot working alongside these professionals and he fills the father’s shoes nicely.

But this movie is also remarkable for its themes that extend way beyond the genre. At its heart, it’s really about a family who is trying to prepare its children to fend for themselves in the big, bad world. Like any family. Only hopefully your children won’t be facing any literal face-eating monsters. But of course you’re afraid for them, afraid that they’ll encounter something you haven’t prepared them for, and that you won’t be there when they need you. As director, Krasinski makes us care for this family, while at the same time making it feel like it could be mine or yours.

 

31 thoughts on “SXSW: A Quiet Place”

  12. Widdershins

    Heavens to Murgatriod! You brave little toaster! … OK being as I’m as big a scardy-cat as you, perhaps even bigger, could I watch this at home? (so I can pause frequently, for a few days at a time, to recover) because I’m an Emily fan and wouldn’t want to miss anything of hers, just on principle.

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      1. Widdershins

        Heh, heh, heh … OK … well, seeing as you’ve already gone through the experience, I don’t really think I have to. 🙂 … might just do the margs and nachos anyway.

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  13. film4fan

    Who would’ve thought that the actor of Jim Halpert would go on to direct an amazing horror film? I was really looking forward to this film and am glad to see that it’s great! Good review!

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  14. J.

    I’m really, really interested in this one and I’m pleased that it’s a goody. This and Pacific Rim 2 are my ‘must see’ flicks this year (obviously the latter must be experienced in the cinema countless times!)

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  22. Sarca

    I know I’m late to your party on this one, but just watched it tonight with the hubs, and had to see what your thoughts were on it. I agree with your assessment wholeheartedly. I am rooting for this lovely couple ever since Anna Faris and Chris Pratt broke my heart…It was great seeing them together here. Great film!

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