The Quiet (2005)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: B-     Extras: C     Film: B-

 

 

Jamie Babbit’s The Quiet (2005) is an ambitious and often successful drama about an ugly family situation made worse by all kinds of lies, conceits and insecurities.  Elisha Cuthbert is the popular cheerleader Nina, who seems to have everything, but her lifestyle is being cramped by her parents’ deaf godchild Dot (Camilla Belle) comes to visit.  The parents are only getting along so well, with her loving mother Olivia (Edie Falco in another brave performance) and father Paul (Martin Donovan in a thankless role) doing worse versus better.

 

What Olivia does not know is that Paul is having an incestual relationship with Nina and it is going from very bad to worse.  Connor (Shawn Ashmore) is actually becoming involved with Dot in a healthier relationship, but something is not right there either.

 

Instead of being a revenge piece or just formulaic or outright stupid, the script by Micah Schiraft and Abdi Nazemian is more thorough and sensitive.  The directing is decent and the cast is what ultimately separates this from most lame digitally-shot productions we have suffered through recently.  There is real timing, chemistry and tone to this that also brings it above a bad TV movie.  This is ultimately from the point of view of mature women and that is a view that has been quiet for too long.  The Quiet is worth a look or two.

 

The anamorphically enhanced 2.35 X 1 image was shot in digital High Definition video and it sometimes shows, but cinematographer M. David Mullen, A.S.C., is consistent and that makes it more watchable.  The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix fares better with a passable score by Jeff Rona and some ambient surrounds to go with the music despite much of the film relying on dialogue.  Extras include a multi-part featurette on the making of the film and previews for other Sony releases.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo