Review of A Quiet Passion (2016) by Cheryl K — 14 Jun 2017

A Quiet Passion starring Cynthia Nixon was one of the most interesting onscreen character studies I've ever seen. This was a unique viewing experience in that it doesn't really revolve around a fixed plot or a central conflict like most films, but what it does do is excellently explore what it was like to be Emily Dickinson.

You see how she sees things, and allthewhile she recites her poetry in the background as the film progresses,often matching her writing to the situation being presented onscreen. You get a gripping sense of her family life, her fears, her struggles and the things and people she cherishes and desires the most. The dialogue is compelling and comprises the heart and soul of this film, and Nixon is absolutely tearing up the floor here in her dynamic, powerful performance as Emily Dickinson.

The humor here works really well, and it doesn't have to resort to a whole lot of modern dialogue tricks to get the audience to laugh (well, there IS that one rib on a particular institution that felt modern in its approach).

The characters here are fleshed out and intriguing and well-rounded. Helping capture what these people were like is the wonderful cinematography, featuring long takes and careful attention to detail.

I do feel the movie sometimes takes too much of its time in places, you don't always feel the tension you're supposed to feel in scenes and the lack of resolutions or the long absence of some interesting characters on scene can make this otherwise feeling-rich piece of cinema lose its bite.

But it's a really cool examination of an interesting life, and I totally recommend that you check it out. I will say that A Quiet Passion gets an 8.1 and is Ownable.