A Quiet Place | Film Review

Shhh…

We often rely on a film to tell us how to feel or how to react, but what happens when our sound is removed, and we must rely on our other senses? In only his second directorial feature, John Krasinski masterfully formed a movie that builds upon this very concept.

A Quiet Place stars Emily Blunt, alongside director Krasinski, in a film that encapsulates the crux of the thriller/horror genre. The story follows a family that are seemingly all alone, except for a creature in the woods that we know little about. This creature relies on sound, and any sound you make could be your last. Krasinski crafted the scenes so seamlessly, that our chests synonymously rise with every breath we see taken on screen, and release with anticipation. We can feel the need for oxygen in the moments they’re required most.

The absolute perfection in use of sound – and the absence of – becomes truly remarkable and noticeable for more than just our ears. In the first few minutes, we are given almost no diegetic sound. The film relies on your engagement with the very seldom tapping of a footstep and your eagerness to hear what awaits. In utter silence, you are one with your fellow audience members, and you all are one with the on-screen characters. This closeness builds as we learn about the family we will follow for the next 90 minutes, and there’s not a minute throughout that we do not seek to know more. Krasinski constructed his scenes with such intimacy in moments we observe the routine of this family, that each meal or game night makes us feel invited. This invitation is one that you ultimately may wish to decline, though.

We only learn more of our creature as our attachments to this family build. Audience members are given pieces of the puzzle that some – or all – characters on-screen may not know about yet, which creates that festering “why aren’t you listening to me?!” feeling where we’re constantly yelling at the screen…as if they can actually hear us. The choices on which puzzle pieces to allow viewers to learn about may seem at first like an obvious mistake, or too easy, but if you look a little bit deeper, we only learn as we are desired to learn. The dramatic irony on-screen only engages us further, as audience members only want to be heard, while all the characters want to do is speak.

With the absence of speech, this family must rely on faint whispers and sign language. They intelligently craft a safety plan and educate the children on how things need to work, while not feeding them every gory detail of what it is that is trapping them in. The moments we hear their voices at full volume are few and far between, but that doesn’t make their performances any less strong. Emily Blunt puts on a performance of a lifetime and we are irrevocably her captures, as she so elegantly and gracefully shows us every facet of emotion, without making much sound. Her interactions with her on screen family (and real-life husband) feel so natural, that it’s hard to tell apart her acting from reality. Her emotions are so real and raw that when her character feels something – you’ll feel it too.

Aside from fantastic directorial and screenwriting choices, John Krasinski is the man we all want to have as a father and husband. He’s got so much will power; he’s the protector, he knows what to do for the benefit of the family, and he will sacrifice anything to keep them safe. He takes the stage so beautifully and passionately that you’ll leave the movie craving his next work.

An overall delightful film that will become a gem on your shelf, with stellar performances, a unique script, and stunning directorial choices – A Quiet Place will leave you speechless.