The Sound of Silence

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2:25

The Sound of Silence

2019

1h 27m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

63%

Tomatometer

43 Reviews

38%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

There are a symphony of almost undetectable sounds that make up a moment of silence, and Peter Lucian (Peter Sarsgaard) is determined to catalogue them all. Through his job as a New York City "house tuner," the hyper-methodical Peter works meticulously to diagnose the discordant ambient noises--produced by everything from wind patterns to humming electrical appliances--adversely affecting his clients' moods. When he takes on the particularly difficult case of Ellen (Rashida Jones), a lonely woman plagued by chronic exhaustion, Peter finds that the mysteries of the soul may be even greater than the mysteries of sound. A quietly moving portrait of a harmony-obsessed man learning to embrace the dissonances of human emotion, The Sound of Silence invites viewers to hear the world with fresh ears.

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Critics Consensus

The Sound of Silence occasionally struggles to control its tone and convey its message, but it benefits from compelling performances and intriguing ideas.

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G. Allen Johnson

San Francisco Chronicle

09/26/2019

1.5/4

It is stunted and meandering, barely filling out its 85 minutes.

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Jonathan Romney

Film Comment Magazine

09/20/2019

..."The Sound of Silence" is a modest, contemplative study of ideas that itself exemplifies those ideas in its design, not least its sound design; it embodies a conceptual rumination.

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Matthew Lickona

San Diego Reader

09/20/2019

2/5

Lucian is a man with a theory, desperate to extrapolate from what he knows is true to what it might imply, and if you've ever known such a man, you will likely appreciate Sarsgaard's performance

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

02/23/2022

2/4

Aside from its technical accomplishments, it's a film that piques the viewer's interest yet ends just as it starts to hint at more beneath its premise.

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Catherine Springer

AwardsWatch

01/25/2020

2/4

In an age where so many things are overdone, overblown and overwrought, it's nice to have such a simple, quiet movie about a totally relatable and universal human experience.

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

11/21/2019

B-

The uniquely intellectual drama runs with a soulfully promising story as far as it can go before getting backed into a corner by a director who doesn't know how to handle it.

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08/15/2021

2.9 thought this was unique enough I guess

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05/31/2021

Great movie with amazing subtleties and nuances. Strong performances, fresh premise, and very thought provoking.

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04/26/2021

I liked this movie very much. It was an interesting concept and well acted. I wonder if these types of sound people really exist?

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11/29/2020

Enjoyable film with a deep intellectual undertone (no pun intended). The acting performance were pristine, muffled only by a plot that lacked a robust substance. Impressively shot with a magnificent sound team, this film is worth watching.

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Ęxçëşș M

@ExcessMale 11/17/2020

Hints at the considerable amount of potential it has but just doesn't develop it's premise or characters enough.

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04/09/2020

Why are the last 3-5 minutes of the movie black - no lights? It was a vast waste of time!

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Michael Tyburski

Director

Peter Sarsgaard

Peter Lucian

Rashida Jones

Ellen Chasen

Tony Revolori

Samuel Diaz

Austin Pendleton

Robert Feinway

Bruce Altman

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The Sound of Silence: Trailer 1

2:25

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Synopsis

There are a symphony of almost undetectable sounds that make up a moment of silence, and Peter Lucian (Peter Sarsgaard) is determined to catalogue them all. Through his job as a New York City "house tuner," the hyper-methodical Peter works meticulously to diagnose the discordant ambient noises--produced by everything from wind patterns to humming electrical appliances--adversely affecting his clients' moods. When he takes on the particularly difficult case of Ellen (Rashida Jones), a lonely woman plagued by chronic exhaustion, Peter finds that the mysteries of the soul may be even greater than the mysteries of sound. A quietly moving portrait of a harmony-obsessed man learning to embrace the dissonances of human emotion, The Sound of Silence invites viewers to hear the world with fresh ears.

Director: Michael Tyburski
Screenwriter: Ben Nabors, Michael Tyburski
Distributor: IFC Films
Production Co: Keshet Studios, Anonymous Content, Group Theory, Feracious Entertainment
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 13, 2019, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 10, 2019
Box Office (Gross USA): $17.0K
Runtime: 1h 27m