A QUIET PLACE ■ Where silence is an immense effect!
If you’re familiar with John Krasinski, you’ll likely have an enduring image in your mind of his portrayal as Jim Halpert in the US version of The†Office†. His floppy-haired charm and dry wit
had him pinned as a boy-next-door type with a decidedly sharp comedic talent.
While his ability to deliver heart-sinking romantic pathos and hilarious timing goes unquestioned, Krasinski has undoubtedly revealed his wide gamut of cinematic strengths in A QUIET PLACE.
As the writer, director and lead actor (working alongside real-life wife Emily Blunt, no less) of this potent intellectual horror, he has delivered something so few manage, especially so early in a writer/director career: he has given us a full (and somewhat unique) film experience, with superb acting and use of sound treating the viewer to a memorable, unsettling night at the movies.
Without spoiling too much, Krasinski plays a family man navigating his brood in a desolate, post-apocalyptic landscape. With the country seemingly ravaged by a powerful, terrifying enemy, they are forced to preserve their life by existing in virtual silence; if they make a sound, they will be hunted.
Put simply, the film is a triumph of writing and execution. The small cast shoulders the burden of silence to immense effect, keeping the viewer breathless for a full ninety minutes. The tension is well-maintained, with effective twists and jump-scares to really bend the mind. While touted as a horror film and certainly unsettling in parts, it serves more as a psychological thriller that will stay with you long after you’ve left the cinema. In the tradition of other smart thrillers like GET OUT and IT FOLLOWS, those that dip their toes into this genre hereafter have big shoes to fill.
