The Quiet (2005)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Jamie Babbit

Writers (WGA):

Abdi Nazemian (written by) &
Micah Schraft (written by)

Release Date:

1 September 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Isn't it time everyone hears your secrets?

Plot:

Dot (Belle), a young deaf and mute woman, is sent to live with her godparents (Falco and Donovan) and their daughter (Cuthbert). The new addition to the household realizes that everything is not copacetic in the home, and the family's dark come to light.

Plot Keywords:

Secret | Deaf | Godparent | Dysfunctional Family | High School

Cast

Elisha Cuthbert	...	Nina Deer
Camilla Belle	...	Dot
Edie Falco	...	Olivia Deer
Martin Donovan	...	Paul Deer
Shawn Ashmore	...	Connor
Katy Mixon	...	Michelle Fell
David Gallagher	...	Brian
Shannon Woodward	...	Fiona
Maria Cash	...	Mrs. Feltswatter
Jo Baker	...	Myrna
Steve Uzzell	...	Mr. Piln
Ken Thomas	...	Officer Jim
Rudy Costa	...	Police Officer
Myrna Cabello	...	Waitress
Diane Quest	...	Newscaster #1

Also Known As:

Dot (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong and disturbing sexual content, a scene of violence, language, drug content and brief nudity.

Runtime:

96 min | 91 min (original version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | American Sign Language

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Canada:14A (Manitoba) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia/Ontario) | UK:18 | Argentina:16 | Singapore:M18 | Australia:MA | New Zealand:R16 | Finland:K-15 | USA:R (certificate #42103) | South Korea:18

Filming Locations:

Bowie High School - 4103 W. Slaughter Lane, Austin, Texas, USA

Company:

Andrea Sperling Productions

Trivia:

In the original draft of the script, Martin Donovan's character was an insurance salesman.

Goofs:

Continuity: At the dance the guy puts Dot's bag flat on the chair but when she looks at it moments later, it's standing up on the chair.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Dot: All I wanted was to be invisible.

Movie Connections:

References Girls Gone Wild (1998) (V)

Soundtrack:

Piano Sonata #28 Opus 101, Andante ma non troppo, con affecto

A distressing but well executed film

This film receives a 10 for disturbing subject matter. It is at times very difficult to watch. The characters are troubled, each in his/her own way. It feels edgy and often very foreign. With that warning, I must say that on some level I enjoyed the film. Technically it is superb. The character development is wonderful, the story intriguing and the plot is gripping. As the plot unfolds, you are forced to change your opinions about each of the characters. At first I despised the main character but felt much sympathy for her towards the end. Not an uplifting film, but that is certainly not what the screenwriter nor the director intended. I suspect that it will be an award winner.