Review of Silence (2017) by Kia M — 24 Dec 2016

Silence is one of Scorsese's hardest films to watch, and one his most serious. It is about two Jesuit missionaries who travel from Portugal to Japan to find their lost mentor, father Ferreira. The priests are smuggled into Japan by a drunken man, Kichijiro (Yosuke Kubozuka), who turns out to be a Christian (and a very devoted one). The two are kept hidden by a Christian village until the colony is discovered by the authorities, a mean bunch of inquisitors intent on keeping Christianity out of Japan. Their "tests" of faith include stepping on images of Christ and the virgin Mary, and spitting on the cross. The film employs many scenes of torture and violence to demonstrate how ruthless the Japanese can be, and how much the character Rodrigues (Andrew Garfield, in one of his best roles to date) has to suffer to prove his faith and devotion to Christ. The trial is so tough and unforgiving that one point, Rodrigues sees his reflection in a stream transform into the face of Jesus.

The most interesting parts of the film are when he has to converse with the head inquisitor, the sly Inoue (Issei Ogata), who tells him the story of an emperor who had four jealous wives. Their constant arguing drove him nuts, so he banished them from the palace. This is similar to how Japan freed itself of Spanish, Portuguese, English, and Dutch influence. Rodrigues says in response that the man is very wise, but that the inquisitor doesn't understand Christianity. In a similar circumstance, Rodrigues is told that Japan is like a swamp; nothing grows in it, despite his and other missionaries' attempts to start a religious following there. Rodrigues holds steady to his faith throughout most of the film, despite the horrific punishments he has to endure.

Scorsese spent 28 years developing the story, and it's clear he's done his research on Japan and the time period; no detail seems out of place. Every shot is crisp and powerful and the shooting locations are equally wonderful to look at. One example of this is when the two priests leave to embark on the long journey, and they descend a marble staircase in a long shot taken from above. Praise goes to DP Rodrigo Prieto and of course, Scorsese. The writing is strong, but the pacing is very slow compared to his other films. It's a tough film to sit through and enjoy, but the experience and opportunities for deep discussion are well worth the 2hrs+ investment. You won't be sorry after seeing this movie.

I personally needed something to lighten the mood, so I saw Damien Chazelle's La La Land right after. The transition was jarring, but I was glad that I was treated to two masterful pieces of filmmaking, both successful for different reasons. Silence is a proud profession of its director's belief in Christianity, and it is a fine achievement for the master's career of over 50 years and 23 narrative films. It's ending might be too simple and "Hollywood" for some, but I found it to be quite satisfying and a fitting end to the journey of the Jesuits and of the film itself.