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The History of Sound

Play trailer Poster for The History of Sound Drama History Romance LGBTQ+ Play Trailer Watchlist
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65% Tomatometer 37 Reviews Popcornmeter 0 Verified Ratings
"The History of Sound" follows two young men -- Lionel (Paul Mescal) and David (Josh O'Connor) -- in the shadows of WWI who are determined to record the lives, voices and music of their American countrymen. As they begin to log the events, the two fall in love.

Cast & Crew

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Oliver Hermanus

Director

Paul Mescal

Lionel

Josh O'Connor

David

Peter Mark Kendall

Nathan

Chris Cooper

Older Lionel

Molly Price

Lionel's Mother

Critics Reviews

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Tim Robey Daily Telegraph (UK) The History of Sound has fashioned a deliberate non-epic from wispy material, keeping such a tight lid on sentiment it’s like an obstinate clamshell with its secrets. Expectations need recalibrating beforehand to not feel lightly underwhelmed. Rated: 3/5 Jun 16, 2025 Full Review Tomris Laffly Elle A masterclass in tender restraint. A rare treat to luxuriate in. Jun 10, 2025 Full Review Justin Chang The New Yorker Hermanus’s earlier films, including “Moffie” and “Living”, can quiver with passion, but his work here is polished and prettified to the point of inertia. Jun 2, 2025 Full Review Tori Brazier Metro [Paul] Mescal and [Josh] O’Connor do prove the captivating onscreen couple that all their fans hope they’d be, it’s just a pity that The History of Sound doesn’t provide as sweeping a canvas for them to paint as anticipated. Rated: 3/5 Jun 5, 2025 Full Review Sarah Manvel Movies We Texted About [Director Oliver] Hermanus gambled his movie on the appeal of his stars doing the work for him. Unfortunately that was a gamble he lost. Jun 5, 2025 Full Review Erik Anderson AwardsWatch O’Connor is fantastic as David, confident and flirty, a bit of a rascal. Mescal fascinates as Lionel. Rated: A- Jun 4, 2025 Full Review Read all reviews
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The History of Sound

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Movie Info

Synopsis "The History of Sound" follows two young men -- Lionel (Paul Mescal) and David (Josh O'Connor) -- in the shadows of WWI who are determined to record the lives, voices and music of their American countrymen. As they begin to log the events, the two fall in love.
Director
Oliver Hermanus
Producer
Oliver Hermanus, Andrew Kortschak, Sara Murphy, Thérèsa Ryan, Zhang Xin
Screenwriter
Ben Shattuck, Oliver Hermanus
Distributor
MUBI
Production Co
Closer Media, Film4, End Cue, Kino Produzioni
Genre
Drama, History, Romance, LGBTQ+
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 12, 2025, Limited