Review of Silence (2017) by Charles P — 22 Jan 2017

It's not what I expected, which is to say this film is not filled with gratuitous violence, endless preaching, or funky, seemingly senseless camera angles. This is quite honest filmmaking and humble storytelling.

The story is of Andrew Garfield's character, a Portuguese priest of the 17th century in search of his mentor lost to the hostile Japanese countryside. This is their story about the frustration of faith, the purpose of trial, and painful choices that often do not seem like choices at all.

Of course, there are constant religious depictions, most of which are directly related to the Catholic church, but Buddhism is also well represented. I was glad that it didn't turn a complete blind eye to or vilify the Japanese stance, though I felt that could have been covered more.

The acting was superb, especially by Garfield and the man who plays the main Japanese inquisitor. Parts of the movie were hard to understand and there were hardly any subtitles. Somehow, this did not detract from the storytelling though.

The length and pace of the film were appropriate and conscientious, though the last ten minutes were actually a little fast. It caught me off guard, as there was a lot to process in a small space of time.

Still, I found the film engaging enough to merit a second viewing, which would be beneficial. Why this isn't being considered much for awards season is a bit beyond me, if for nothing else than cinematography and adapted screenplay.

It is a beautiful and brutal film that fits agilely in Scorsese's seemingly endless repertoire.