The History of Sound

Play trailer

1:02

The History of Sound

R

Now Playing

2h 7m

Romance

Drama

LGBTQ+

History

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

69%

Tomatometer

100 Reviews

89%

Popcornmeter

100+ 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.

Now in Theaters

Now Playing

Buy Tickets

Critics Consensus

Its drawn-out pacing and overly familiar trajectory undermine its potential to truly surprise, but The History of Sound nonetheless offers a visually stunning and well-acted journey through its melancholic exploration of human connection.

Read Critics Reviews

Adam Graham

Detroit News

Director Oliver Hermanus keeps everything on a very low heat — too low, in fact, to ever rise to a simmer.

Rated: C

Sep 23, 2025

Full Review

Barry Hertz

Globe and Mail

The History of Sound might not set the internet on fire, but it will leave a few embers burning in the hearts of any audience who takes the time to listen to its particular song.

Sep 19, 2025

Full Review

Carla Meyer

San Francisco Chronicle

In the film’s second half, as Lionel and David return to their regular lives, it becomes clear that O’Connor’s and Mescal’s acting had been doing too much, and the script too little, of the heavy lifting.

Rated: 2/4

Sep 19, 2025

Full Review

Sandie Angulo Chen

Common Sense Media

This beautifully performed, restrained drama explores music, love, and loss.

Rated: 4/5

Sep 29, 2025

Full Review

Rubén Rosario

MiamiArtZine

You want to pick up “History” and cradle it, shield it from the detractors who are unmoved by it.

Sep 26, 2025

Full Review

Neely Swanson

Beverly Hills Courier

“The History of Sound” is not a “Brokeback Mountain” of country music. It is an ode to love in all its permutations. It is love found, love lost and love that endures, tied up in the notes and melodies of songs discovered where least expected.

Sep 26, 2025

Full Review

Read all reviews

Stephen T

one of the best movies i've seen this year...touching, well-cast, beautifully filmed. didn't want the story to end.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/28/25

Full Review

Louis

Beautiful cinematography and superior acting. The story delivers an emotional punch of love, loss and change. Lovers who feel strongly then part with intention and surprise. Go to see this movie with an open mind and heart.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

09/27/25

Full Review

Danie A

This film moves slowly and keeps you unsure of where it’s heading, but halfway through, I suddenly connected deeply with one of the characters. It’s quiet and beautiful , it broke my heart and shattered the silence. It’s the kind of film that lingers with you afterward, making you reflect on life and your own journey.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/27/25

Full Review

Diego

Great acting and cinematography, a little but slow but it wraps up phenomenally.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/27/25

Full Review

Joseph R

Absolutely beautiful tender film about love, music and memory. It's amazing a film like this was even made, with the way Hollywood is these days. Not a super hero in sight.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/26/25

Full Review

DEL

Outstanding and moving story. Excellent methodical and thoughtful pacing. And the music and songs are outstanding. Hope there will be a soundtrack soon. Well done

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/26/25

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Oliver Hermanus

Director

Paul Mescal

Lionel

Josh O'Connor

David

Peter Mark Kendall

Nathan

Chris Cooper

Older Lionel

Molly Price

Lionel's Mother

The History of Sound: Exclusive Movie Clip - Window

1:37

The History of Sound: Movie Clip - Singing Love Songs

2:01

View more videos

Call Me by Your Name

95%

86%

Call Me by Your Name

Watchlist

High Tide

100%

89%

High Tide

Watchlist

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

97%

92%

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Supernova

89%

69%

Supernova

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Supernova

Carol

94%

75%

Carol

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Carol

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

10 Most Talked About Films of The 2025 Cannes Film Festival

The History of Sound: Featurette - On Set with Paul Mescal and Josh O'Connor

0:55

The History of Sound: Trailer 2

1:02

The History of Sound: Trailer 1

2:28

Paul Mescal's Must-Watch TV & Movie Picks

0:23

View more videos

View more photos

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
Rating: R (Some Sexuality)
Genre: Romance, Drama, LGBTQ+, History
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 12, 2025, Limited
Box Office (Gross USA): $700.1K
Runtime: 2h 7m

Most Popular at Home Now